


Reciprocate

by itsjustkdp



Category: Golden Girls
Genre: Awkward Romance, Blushing, Coffee Shops, Confusion, Costume Parties & Masquerades, Crying, Dancing and Singing, Denial of Feelings, Developing Relationship, Disguise, Drama, Drama & Romance, F/F, Feelings, Feelings Realization, Feels, Femslash, First Kiss, Fluff, Fluff and Smut, Holding Hands, Lesbian AU, Lesbian Character, Lesbian Sex, Love, Marriage Proposal, New Year's Eve, New Year's Kiss, Rare Pairings, Realization, Reflection, Romance, Romantic Fluff, Self-Reflection, Sexual Confusion, Singing, Smut, Tearjerker, Tears, Warm and Fuzzy Feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-13
Updated: 2020-04-07
Packaged: 2021-02-27 20:00:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 20,472
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22691419
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/itsjustkdp/pseuds/itsjustkdp
Summary: After her disclosure with Jean, Rose felt unknown with the new feeling she has about herself. She has no one to turn to but Dorothy... Just Dorothy, no one else.As days add up, so is their feelings for each other...How can they reciprocate this with one another?
Relationships: Dorothy Zbornak & Rose Nylund, Dorothy Zbornak/Rose Nylund
Comments: 40
Kudos: 15





	1. (Prologue) Reckon

**Author's Note:**

> Hi everyone! This is my very first full-blown story. Chapter updates might take at most a week to do since school is ongoing for me until May, but I will make sure that the story will be worthwhile. Enjoy and stay hydrated!
> 
> Sendin’ uwus,  
> itsjustkdp

The midnight sky looms over the lanai as the wind breezes through Rose's shoulders. She cannot sleep from what happened a week ago—the week of Jean's visit. She did not understand why Dorothy's friend was fond of her... Maybe it was the fact that they both lived the farm life before? Or maybe it's the thought that her wife, Pat, passed and is still recovering from the grief she had to go through. 

She doesn't know, honestly. 

The naïveté ended with a high note that her friendship with Jean is enough, no strings attached. Though, their disclosure left Rose hanging. It dawned on her... something so unusual yet interesting. Something that makes her heart beat quicker than the chickens back in her dear town called St. Olaf. 

She has feelings for someone, but she cannot point a finger on anyone just yet. 

She needed to make sure who this person is—

"Rose?"

Rose's thought bubble popped just before she looked around on where the sound came from. When she looked up to her side, it turned out to be Dorothy. 

"Hey," the naïveté sat upright, fixing herself a little bit, "Can't sleep either?"

"I guess, but I just don't know why..." Dorothy sighs as she laid herself down on the wicker sun chair beside Rose's. 

Silence fell down between the two of them, both unable to break it with a word or a clear of the throat. They both focused on the stars above them, the orbs of gas refracting light like blinking stars. The constellations fully visible.

"The stars are so beautiful. Don't you think, Dorothy?" Rose glances at the woman beside her who also glances back.

"They absolutely are. Why wouldn't it be?" 

"Well, they wouldn't be because they can disappear any minute and people will never see it again."

Dorothy knew that Rose will answer her rhetorical question literally, so she pinches her nose in tad frustration. Of course, being the naïveté she is, Rose tends to ask and answer literally everything that is said to her. Like always, she lets it slide. 

"Tell that to Lars Blurgenplotz: St. Olaf's only pig to run a planetarium..."

"Hey! At least he knew how to differentiate a ball of gas from a ball of hay."

Dorothy, though didn't like the feeling of it, seem amused by the analogy Rose told her just now. In response, she snickers a bit then shakes her head off of it quickly before the naïveté would notice. 

Silence returns once more onto their atmosphere as they look back at the stars. A few minutes had passed when Rose began to speak. 

"Dorothy, I'm confused... Really confused."

"With what, honey?"

"With how your friend, Jean, is not afraid of what she feels for... y'know."

"Women?"

"I guess so..."

Dorothy assumes that such thought hindered Rose to sleep. As for herself? She doesn't know why she's not getting any much sleep these days. It had been a week since Jean visited... 

With that, Dorothy assures Rose, reaching out for her hand and holding it tight, "It's pretty normal for a person—in this case, like Jean—to feel something for another person of the same sex."

Rose's eyes widen, "Really?"

"Yes. After all, we're just humans going down our own paths. We discover new things: some good and some bad. We all just assumed that everything is bad because it doesn't appeal to us and our standards."

"I... I see."

Rose felt her face heat up as Dorothy looks at her tenderly and tightens her grip for a moment before letting go of her hand. When she looked up again, some of the stars shine brighter than earlier. 

As some stars spark brighter, so is her curiosity.

For whom are these unknown feelings of hers?


	2. Rhythm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Their feet dance all around, hips going wild...
> 
> Then their hands intertwine and it didn't feel bad.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is based on S03E02 called "One for the Money."
> 
> Enjoy! uwu

"Ladies and gentlemen, our charity dance marathon is now entering its seventh hour. Let's give our contestants a great big hand!"

Audiences applaud for everyone still being alive and merry as they dance the night away around the room. Hours prior, the girls unexpectedly see each other during the registrations and they bragged to each other on who will claim the cash prize of one thousand dollars. As usual, Blanche persuaded her partner to accompany her through the night by simply whispering to him the "special prize" he would claim at the end of the evening... Well, in the morning, possibly. Dorothy decided to go with Russell, and Rose with Dave.

When the event commenced, they all jive and exchange happy banters with everyone in the room. Few hours later, couples begin to back out because of health conditions - most of them having either cramps or difficulties in breathing. Rose, being the competitive one she is, mentally congratulates herself every single time a couple backs out. Though, someone around the room tugged her attention away from her thoughts...

Dorothy.

When she passes around the room, her gracefulness blooms eagerly even if her tall physique does not adhere to such momentum. Her partner seems impressed as to how well her dancing is. Rose assumed it must have been manifested from her past experiences, but the thought was rather vague. As she occasionally glances at Dorothy, she cannot help but blush and feel a tad embarrassed for not keeping up with Dave. She gets distracted by the sways of her hips, the tip taps of her feet, and the joy plastered on her face.

Oh, how she wished it was-no, it can't be-

"Rose, are you alright? You seem to hinder a bit in dancing along with me."

Rose's thoughts snapped as she quickly whips back her attention towards her partner David. To cover up the sudden embarrassment, she makes an excuse which came out successfully.

"Oh, I'm just looking around the room. It helps for me to know my way."

As the seventh hour began to tick, Rose approached Dorothy and Blanche and asked if they were still holding up. When they both had good responses, Rose began to tell a St. Olaf story, just when-

"FOUL!!! FOUL!! Send a judge over here! This woman is trying to put us to sleep."

Dorothy causes a commotion that made everything stop. When she pointed at Rose, the latter got shocked at what she did. In return, Rose rebuts.

"You're just exhausted and you're trying to blame it on me!"

"Exhausted? I'll show you who's exhausted!"

Dorothy immediately approaches the master of ceremonies, planning to make the room feel lively again by giving a suggestion. When he agrees to have something octane, he calls out to the band.

"All right, boys, take it away! A one... Two... A one, two, three, four!"

Dorothy begins to move lively to the beat of "Take the A Train" just before her partner Russell follows suit. When she began to dance around the room, her hips went wild and her feet performed a pattern. Of course, on the sideline, Rose can't help but look at awe at Dorothy and how she's enjoying her solo dance with her respective partner.

"Out of my way, amateurs!"

Out of the blue, Blanche takes the floor while Dorothy and her partner leave. When Blanche dances, she moves with grace and with stride as she does her footwork to the song of "In the Mood." As the Southern belle tapped her feet to the rhythm after a few twists and turns, Rose felt the urge to try taking the floor, but not with David by her side. She doesn't know why she had such a sudden urge, but one thing's for sure: She wants Dorothy to see her moves.

Without further delay, Rose quickly approached Blanche from the side and went giddy by the time she asked...

"Blanche! Can I give it a try?"

"Oh, for heaven's sake, go on."

When Blanche and her partner Marty leave to sit on the side, David approached her but Rose told him that she would do this solo dance herself, for he might get hurt. When she felt eyes around the room — even Dorothy's, she took a deep breath before looking around for the band. Beforehand, she looks at Dorothy, who in return widens her eyes and slightly looks away. It seems that Dorothy's expression seems... familiar. Something she felt the same time when she looked at her a few hours earlier.

Never mind that. It's Showtime.

"Three! Four!"

_tap! tap! tap! tap!_

Rose gets her groove on as the band plays "Sing, Sing, Sing." She pirouettes and shakes to the beat as she moves around the room to set the tone. When she started doing cartwheels.

That is when Dorothy lost it. She was shocked!

All of this went on just until she had her last split and presented herself to the audience. Rose felt a sense of pride as her confidence boosted up. Dorothy, on the other hand, gets her game face on as another round of dancing emerges.

"This is going to be a very long night."  
  


The morning sun already shines on the thirteenth hour, and the remaining four couples struggle to not give up at this point. Then they go out one by one. Blanche's partner, Marty, quits as he feels his tiredness through his veins and the Southern belle had no choice but to steal a partner from a couple. Dorothy's partner, Russell, on the other hand, got a charlie horse and they both exited towards the back hallway.

Finally, Rose's partner, David, told the naïveté that his wife just entered and decided to leave, which would make Blanche the winner.

When Rose entered the back hallway to find her partner, she eventually spotted Dorothy, seated on the floor with her head on her knees.

"Dorothy! I can't lose just yet."

"Neither do I! But what can we do? Blanche will win the money anyway."

Rose thought for a second just before she made her decision.

"We have to team up!"

"Are you sure, Rose?" Dorothy gesticulates, "We can't team up. We're both women and we have different numbers on our backs!"

"Who cares?"

_yank!_

Dorothy didn't get to say a word when Rose immediately hoisted her up and quickly entered back to the dance floor. When Rose was placing her hand upon Dorothy's shoulder, the tall lady knew what dance position she needs to do. Instinctively, she snappily holds Rose's free hand with hers and wraps her other one around the naïveté's waist. Rose yelps a bit at what she did before the master of ceremonies announced that a couple reentered the competition.

With a step forward, they both look at each other, gazing through each other's eyes to find whatever they're hiding within themselves. Like some sort of feeling raging between them. A familiar sense. 

Then, they put their game face on.

As they danced the tango together, Dorothy and Rose cannot help but feel the heat on their cheeks. Maybe it's from the sweat they've gone through as the hours come and go and dances shift from waltz to cha-cha. Well, no... maybe it's not that. 

It's that same familiar feeling from before. Could it be?

No, it could _not_ be that.

When they both spin around, Rose leans her head towards Dorothy's ear to whisper the next move she can think of.

"Dip me."

Dorothy hesitated for a bit, but since her competitive spirit still lives on with her, she nods before doing so.

As the music stops, there was silence.

Dorothy and Rose looked around, the audience seemingly shocked at their pairing. Murmurs begin to rise as Blanche approaches the two of them.

"What the hell were you two thinking?! All the people in the crowd are whispering to themselves about this!"

The pair let go of each other, fixing themselves and letting the thought of embarrassment sink in. When Rose was about to speak, the master of ceremonies approached the pair and yelled in rejoice.

"Looks like we have a new winner!"

The three girls arrived at the humble Miami abode and Blanche, frustrated by the new announcement of winners, greeted the other two a rather harsh night as she retires to her bedroom. When the Southern belle's door was shut, Dorothy and Rose were left standing at the center of the living room, not either of them saying a word. They both sit down on the wicker couch, heaving deep sighs and laughing at each other as the morning sun begins to approach. 

"So... we won, huh?"

"Surprisingly so."

"... Since we both won, we can split the money to ourselves at spoil each other."

Dorothy looked at Rose, her thoughts making a decent decision on what to do with the money.

"I'd rather save it for the New Year's masquerade banquet. Besides, it's not going to be long before another year starts."

Rose agrees with her, "I guess I could do the same."

"Congratulations, Rose."

"Congratulations to both of us, Dorothy!"

They both wrapped each other into a tight hug right there on the couch. As they both withdrew, they longingly gazed onto each other's eyes. Dorothy then looked at Rose's lips, tempting to do something that is rather unusual for the both of them even for her. Instead, she pats Rose's shoulder and soon begins to retire to her room. Rose follows suit, but before they entered to their respective rooms, she calls out to the tall lady behind her.

"Dorothy?"

"Yes, Rose?"

_tsup!_

Rose kisses Dorothy's cheek with a quick peck and soon withdraws before entering her room.

"See you in the morning."

When Rose's door was closed shut, Dorothy was left standing there, her expression in awe as she touches her right cheek. Her face heats up at what Rose did, but she didn't want to imply anything just yet. She shakes her head from the thought as she mutters something to herself.

"See you in the morning then."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for stopping by with another chapter of mine with this story! Apologies if there are any grammatical errors along the way, but I really hoped you enjoyed this chapter.
> 
> More to come soon! uwu


	3. Re-encourage

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They converse... They laugh... Then she sings...
> 
> All in just a moment at a coffee shop.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One scene is referenced to S07E19 "Journey to the Center of Attention." The rest is based on my imagination. :)
> 
> Enjoy!

"One order of your signature hot chocolate, please."

"Your name, ma'am?"

"Rose."

The naïveté was finally finished with her day at the counseling center, with all the people either dealing with grief or just the problems of life. She decided to have an afternoon of pure relaxation, and she happened to pass by a newly-opened coffee shop this morning. So, all events lead to her craving for a cup of hot chocolate. Well, Rose drinks coffee of course, but only in the morning - so does tea. Back in St. Olaf, one of her favorite festivals that she attends to is the festival for hot chocolate. To keep it short, that's where her love for such drink came from and she never misses a moment when she sees someone selling them.

Upon putting her things on the long table perched near the clear glass windows, she climbed up the stool and waited for her order. She gazes unto the city view in front of her, the sky turning into dark hues of purple and blue and the buildings sparkling up with blocks of yellow and white. The sun begins to settle down, the orange hues disappearing to the ever visible horizon. Her thoughts of relaxation broke when she heard her name from the barista serving her drink.

When she approached the claiming counter, she glanced to her side and saw a familiar figure near the cashier. Rose's eyes widen and she remembers suddenly the moment of the morning after the dance marathon: the kiss on _her_ cheek. She didn't know why she did it, but it's rather an instinct for her since she does it to her family before they had the lights out. Come to think of it, she thought, it felt like it was not pure instinct. 

A part of her really wanted to do it. She doesn't know why, but she wanted to.

Shaking her head out of the clouds, Rose decided to call out to her since... Who wouldn't want a companion at a time like this?

"Dorothy! I never knew you would stop by here."

The tall lady glanced to her side just after she cited her order to the barista, "R-Rose, good afternoon! I just passed by this place earlier. So I decided, after my day in teaching, I might as well stop by and relax a little."

With no hesitation, Rose asks, "... Well, since we're both here now, you wouldn't mind if I join you in relaxing? I just happened to place my things near the window and no one has seated beside me yet, so why not put your things there, too?"

"I wouldn't mind at all."

They conversed how their days went for the rest of the afternoon: Rose with all the stories that the people at the counseling center shared to her and Dorothy with her frustrating yet silly escapades with the rowdy students during her substitution session in American History class. Though they seem to enjoy everything so far, at the back of Rose's mind, she cannot help but still remember the moment during that one morning. Dorothy seems to read her expressions too well because of it, but she just shrugs it off like it was nothing, having the hunch that maybe the naïveté was tired from that dance marathon and it was just a matter of instinct. She was still confused as to why Rose did such thing, after her encounters with Jean upon the latter's visit and their little conversation underneath the dazzling stars. Maybe Rose _is_ confused, with what she's thinking. Well, a hunch is a hunch.

Their conversation went blank for a few minutes, both of them looking at the now brightly-lit city. There was calm piano music now playing in the background: ones by Irving Berlin. Suddenly, Dorothy hums to the tune of "Let's Have Another Cup of Coffee." Rose glances at her, her expression in awes by the soothing sound of her baritone voice. The naïveté looks at the pianist and back to her, deciding to dare Dorothy into singing. She then taps her by the shoulder, her humming coming to a halt to glance at her.

"What is it?"

"You can sing right?"

"A little, but I usually don't because I am conscious about it," Dorothy tells straightforwardly, "Why?"

"It won't hurt you if you can sing here, right?"

"Wait..." the tall lady squints at Rose, her skepticism growing as she gesticulates, "You're not going to oblige-or maybe, dare-me to sing something for the crowd!"

"Oh c'mon, Dorothy!" Rose's gleam of encouragement glows, "It's not like you're singing for an audience every time! Not to mention you told us before that you wanted to perform in front of a crowd."

"But that was then, Rose!" Dorothy defends herself, "I don't even think I can handle the pressure now."

"I'll lend you my gorgeous emerald earrings that you wanted to borrow for a long time."

"No!"

"Or maybe I can convince Blanche to grab you a date for the New Year Masquerade Ball."

"... Consider it done."

With just a deep breath, Dorothy stands from the stool and approaches the pianist, telling him that she wants to sing a song of her request. When the pianist warmly smiles and nods at her, he suggested "What'll I Do?" after enumerating some of Irving Berlin's songs.

"D flat is good for me..."

The pianist then plays a few serene notes to set the mood, making every customer in the room pay their attentions to her. Dorothy gulps hard, conscious of their looks on her. She was about to say she doesn't want to do this anymore...

Just when she glances at Rose, whose encouragement for her made her decide not to. 

Dorothy smiles warmly at her, knowing all the more that she's the only support that she'll ever need to conquer this fear of performing. Well, she does want to perform, but her confidence went into a downfall ever since her dreams are broken from that shotgun wedding she had with Stan when she was younger.

She shakes her head a bit to clear her mind from overwhelming thoughts and clears her throat before she sings...

_What'll I do_   
_when you_   
_are far away_   
_and I am blue?_   
_What'll I do?_

When Dorothy glances at Rose again, all the naïveté did was give her two thumbs up, mouthing, "You're doing great, Dorothy!"

_What'll I do_   
_when I_ _am wondering_

_who_ _is kissing you_   
_what'll I do?_

Before even knowing it, Dorothy sways around the room, grabbing a small framed photograph of a man from one of the decorative displays to use as a prop. The teacher's heartbeat quickens, but slows down as her confidence begins to ascend. Back in her high school days, she loved to perform for the drama club. Her mother Sophia encouraged her to be herself so she would not obsess and be gloomy over popular clicks around her school, and surprisingly it worked like a charm. Now, she's beginning to channel that essence once more, the vibe of the room following her along her footsteps.

_What'll I do_   
_with just_   
_a photograph_   
_to tell my troubles to?_

_When I'm alone_   
_with only dreams of you_   
_that won't come true_   
_what'll I do?_

Dorothy knew her performance was short-lived, so she surprised them by singing again the last few lines of the song. She hugs the photograph around her chest, her powerful voice barging through the momentous silence. All of the people in the room jumped a little, even Rose and the pianist. 

_What'll I do_   
_with just_   
_a photograph_   
_to tell my troubles to?_

_When I'm alone_   
_with only dreams of you_   
_that won't come true_   
_what'll I do?_

Dorothy slowly places the photograph on the piano and caresses the cheek of the man, the teacher bowing her head after she sheds a tear from her eye. Her emotions feel so raw, Rose thought. As Dorothy ended the song, Rose begins to clap for her friend... And all the customers follow suit. Dorothy raised her head up as she heard the applause from everybody. Knowing the etiquette of a good performance, she bows several times with class, thanking everyone in the room for listening to her sing. She thanks the pianist for letting her perform just before she goes back to where she sat. Dorothy finally came back to her seat, coming back to a continuously applauding Rose.

When Rose stops after Dorothy is just beside her, she exclaims in joy, "That was a wonderful performance, Dorothy!"

Dorothy nods, agreeing with her just before she holds the naïveté's hands with hers, "And I couldn't have done it without you... Thank you."

Rose giggles, just moments before she realizes Dorothy is warmly looking at her, smiling ear to ear. The naïveté can't help but blush a little bit, the grip of the teacher's hands getting warmer and warmer. She realizes what she is feeling now after the moment totally sinks in. Instinctively, she withdraws from Dorothy's grip and grabs her now lukewarm hot chocolate drink to grab a sip.

They leave the coffee shop after having negotiations with the manager earlier about Dorothy's frequent performances to boost their business a bit. Of course, Dorothy decided to think about it first since she has substitution teaching work to do for the next couple of weeks, which will leave her busy for looking at what songs to sing next. The manager told her that the offer still stands and she can take it whenever she is free. As they both stand outside, Dorothy asks Rose.

"Did you bring your car today?"

Rose shakes her head, "I took a bus to get to work today... Why?"

"I have my car parked nearby," Dorothy jabs a finger towards the parking lot just behind her, "Maybe I can take us home?"

Rose shrugs and smiles giddily, "I... I guess I have no choice."

As they drive towards the Miami humble abode, their minds linger at the moment that occurred this afternoon.

Maybe they can both consider making that coffee shop their place of serenity.


	4. Reasons

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Blanche came... Blanche saw... and Blanche supported Dorothy.
> 
> Then, Blanche decides to turn the tides for the New Year Masquerade Ball.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone, I hope you enjoy this story so far! I'm doing my best to come up with dazzling chapters for the later part of the story, so this chapter might be short. Though, this will be essential to the plot, so it's not a filler chapter.
> 
> Enjoy! uwu

_twist... turn... twist... turn..._

Dorothy isn't getting any sleep tonight.

She kept on thinking of everything that had occurred the past few days: Jean's visit, the dance marathon, and, just recently, her performance at the coffee shop. As those moments happen, her emotions begin to grow... More of feelings, perhaps, for someone. Dorothy cannot point her finger at Rose being the reason for all of this because she doesn't want to assume anything. Though, her gut says the opposite: maybe Rose _is_ the reason why she blushes... why she stutters... why she becomes awkward around her. It's not unusual for Dorothy to have feelings for a woman, more likely to be in love with one. Of course, her mother Sophia was shocked at first at why Dorothy is infatuated with women, but shrugs it out as she further understood how those kinds of relationships work. She even said it herself one night when she slept over in Dorothy's room during Jean's stay in Miami...

_"If one of my kids was gay, I wouldn't love him one bit less. I would wish him... all the happiness in the world."_

_"It's because you're the greatest mother in the world..."_

She will never forget those words... even her mother's acceptance for it.

Dorothy gives up in shutting her eyes for prolonged periods and decided to grab a midnight bite in the kitchen. When she swung open the door, she immediately sees Blanche, hunched back on one of the kitchen chairs as she just plays with a slice of cheesecake.

"Blanche, can't sleep either?" Dorothy asks as she grabs a slice for herself from the refrigerator.

The Southern belle shakes her head at her, "I just came back from a date... and I just don't feel his fondness for me."

The tall teacher rolls her eyes and smirks a bit, settling down across her, "Tell me about it..."

"With hell or high water, I'll do tell!"

Blanche immediately began to tell her escapade with her date tonight, putting Dorothy in her place when she was about to reply. She tells the teacher that he insisted on making Blanche pay for half the meal at dinner. Then, he invited her to watch a play in one of the theaters nearby, the performance all being too boring for the Southern belle. Finally, when she was suggesting to... "swing by" at his place, he suddenly got a call from one of his bar friends, telling him that they have discounts during the happy hour in one of the bars, which made him drive Blanche home. Overall, Blanche summarized her date tonight as a big disappointment. When she was finished, she glances at Dorothy, her face being all gloomy while she plays with her half-finished slice of cheesecake. Blanche was frustrated at first, but became concerned when it sinks in.

She then places her hand on top of Dorothy's left arm, making the teacher straighten up to look at her, "Dorothy, are you alright?"

"Oh, I'm fine. Don't worry, I listened to your story, all the way through."

"Seems like you're deep in thought," Blanche shakes her head, taking a bite from her own slice of cheesecake, "Is there something bothering you? Awfully, you've been like this ever since Jean visited us a few months prior..."

Dorothy, sensing that Blanche must've read her, deeply sighs, "I guess there is..."

"Well, I'm all ears," Blanche says, "You can tell me."

"Are you sure you can handle the things that I'm about to say to you?"

"If I can handle a man who's a huge hunk, then I can handle that, too."

Of course, Blanche always finds a way to say something about men, but Dorothy knew that she's ready. Without further delay, she composed herself before looking at Blanche intently.

"Blanche... I think I'm having feelings for Rose."

Blanche stares blankly at her for a few moments... Then her eyes widen, the shock fully plastered on her face. Of course she will be shocked. Her? Dorothy, having feelings for an innocent naïveté like Rose? Blanche shakes her head slowly, gripping Dorothy's arm tightly.

"You're not kidding, are you?"

Dorothy shakes her head, with finality, "I'm absolutely not."

"B-But," Blanche stutters as she gesticulates wildly with her arms, "H-How can this be-You're both women!"

Dorothy hushes Blanche, "It's not illegal to be in love with a woman, Blanche."

"What will other people say!?"

"They'll say the Pledge of Allegiance, Blanche," Dorothy says, sarcastically, "I don't even know!"

Blanche sighs, feeling that the argument will go nowhere. She then thinks, her fingers tapping her chin... as she realizes something.

"Wait a minute... Are you... Are you like Jean in this situation?"

Dorothy looks at her, thinking of what Blanche asked of her. She guesses she _is_ like Jean, considering that she's a lesbian. Thanks to Jean, Dorothy understood as to how these feelings with women work.

Dorothy then nods slowly, "I don't know who to admit it to, but I guess you were my safest bet."

They both sat there in silence, both of them in their respective thoughts... just until Blanche snaps her fingers.

"I think I have a plan for you to tell her."

"About what?"

"About your feelings for the nitwit!"

"Oh?" Dorothy shifts her seat to face her, interested in what Blanche is about to say next, "What is it?"

Blanche begins, clearing her throat, "You know that the New Year Masquerade Ball is coming up in a week, right?"

"Yes."

"I was thinking... since I promised Rose to grab a date for her," Blanche points at Dorothy, " _you_ should be her date!"

Dorothy flinches back, startled, "Be her date? How in the hell am I going to be her date?"

"This is where my artist in me emerges:" Blanche then stands up, showing how proud she is with her plan by waving her hands around herself, "You got the voice! You got the brains and build! With these advantages, I could turn you into a man!"

"You _can_ do that?"

"Of course I can!" Blanche places her hands on her hips, "I don't work at the museum for nothing, honey... You can count on me. So, whaddya say?"

Blanche extends her hand, waiting for Dorothy to shake it. Though the plan seems absolutely perfect, it has risks. What if Rose questions the fact that Dorothy doesn't show up at the ball? What if someone knew her disguise? There are questions that encircle around Dorothy's mind as of the moment, but she is sure of one thing: she wants to finally admit it.

Admit her feelings to Rose. It may be sudden all at once, but she _does_ want to let Rose know.

_yank!_

"Blanche, we got ourselves a deal."


	5. Romeo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's time for the New Year Masquerade Ball...
> 
> Will Blanche and Dorothy's plan work? 
> 
> Will Dorothy be able to admit her feelings to Rose?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This will be a very long chapter, so I hope you'll enjoy reading this!
> 
> Oh by the way, these are the outfits they'll be wearing for the ball:
> 
> Blanche: https://filipinotimes.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/catriona-waling-1.jpg  
> Rose: https://www.pinterest.ph/pin/693624780096754699/  
> Dorothy: (since she'll be dressing as Rose's date) https://www.dhresource.com/600x600/f2/albu/g5/M01/D8/C4/rBVaJFlYlniAaaMxAACG96fLTBc742.jpg  
> Sophia: https://cdn77.gemgrace.com/blog-images/gb12-older-bride/suit-3-2612-older-wedding-dress.jpg
> 
> Enjoy!
> 
> Sendin' uwus,  
> itsjustkdp

When Rose left early for the New Year Masquerade Ball since she doesn't want to miss any festivities as she strolls around, that's when Blanche and Dorothy made their move. After she left, they both went towards Blanche's room for the makeover. Since Dorothy has no problem with altering her voice and her height, she's fine. The only problem is her façade, but Blanche knows how to deal with her disguise. She then puts make-up on Dorothy which is just a tad of a five o'clock beard and much bolder, manly features. Afterwards, they both dressed in their respective outfits that they bought a few days ago for the ball: Blanche wears a dazzling roseate dress with extravagant beading and sleeve design and Dorothy with an elegant and dashing white and gold embroidered suit. When Dorothy was finished with wearing her outfit, she went inside Blanche's room once more, leaving Blanche...

Dropping her jaw to the floor in awe and shock.

"Wow, look. At. You!" Blanche stands up from her make-up chair, putting her hands to her hips, "You're not so bad in looking so dapper for the night, Dorothy!"

"Thank you, Blanche," Dorothy bows like a gentleman, "You look stunning as always."

"Of course, I'm the most beautiful woman to ever prance into ballrooms."

Dorothy rolls her eyes and snickers a bit before her doubts emerge. She then asks...

"Are you sure this'll work?"

"There's only one way to find out... Sophia!"

The old Sicilian lady enters the room in a golden dress that perfectly suits her and looks at the disguised Dorothy across the room. Her eyes squint, not recognizing her own daughter.

"Blanche, who the hell is this baciagaloop in the white suit!?"

Knowing that the plan is a success, Dorothy and Blanche look at each other and nod knowingly.

"Well, the plan works," Dorothy mutters to Blanche before replying to her mother, "Ma, it's me, Dorothy. I'm in a disguise right now."

"What's with the manly disguise? Can't you do any better?"

"Sophia," Blanche barges in, "Dorothy will pose as Rose's date for tonight."

"I'd rather not ask why for the meantime since it'll ruin the mood," Sophia says, "but I'm going to ask: As who?"

Dorothy and Blanche looked at each other again, surprised that they haven't even thought of a name for Dorothy's disguise. Blanche then nudges her elbow towards Dorothy's, signalling her to suggest a name for man self. The teacher then thought of several names until she came up with one...

"Romeo."

* * *

"Are you sure this is going to work?"

"You are talking nonsense, Dorothy! Besides no one, not even Rose, will recognize you underneath that mask."

"Just don't ruin the night, pussycat!"

The three remaining ladies all enter the giant, elegantly-decorated ballroom: gems and rhinestones of wondrous colors shine underneath the crystalline chandeliers that hang above them, the vine-covered marble pillars surround the room and fill the vibe with nature, several delicacies are perched up onto a long buffet table for the guests to try, and couples dance the night away before the New Year at the center of the room. All the guests in the room are wearing masks, similar to what the three girls are wearing in accordance to the theme: animals of any kind. Dorothy, now in her full character as Romeo, walked into the room first with a shiny white wolf mask. Blanche, being the vixen she is according to her, is wearing a roseate vixen fox that glitters and shines underneath the light. Sophia decided to go for a simpler look tonight, so she settled on wearing a feisty snake mask with scales to imitate its texture. 

When they entered the ballroom, most of the guests' eyes land on them, especially to Dorothy. She felt this and gulped that hard lump on her throat, anxious and conscious on how she looks tonight. When Blanche recognized this look as she glanced side wards, she nudged Dorothy's shoulder, reassuring her.

"Don't worry, they won't recognize you underneath this disguise."

Dorothy nodded shakily, her hands on the side trembling with fear. To steer the attention away from them, Blanche links her arm with Dorothy's and walks into the sidelines of the room, especially to the buffet table.

"Just follow my lead and you'll be fine as a whistle... Romeo."

"Okay..."

When they all go near the buffet table, Sophia immediately drifts away from the two girls as she excuses herself to satisfy her hunger, which will take a very long time knowing the Sicilian is into the Italian delicacies she recognized from the corner of her eye. Dorothy shuffles in her spot as Blanche tiptoes to find Rose. When the Southern belle spotted her near the center of the room, she then yanks the tall teacher and walked towards the naïveté...

Who's all dressed in her innocent loving glory, in a pink off-shouldered fluffed dress with pastel-colored roses and other flowers attached to her bodice. Her mask is similar to one of an owl, channeling her innocence even more.

Dorothy's heart surely pounded from her chest, her emotions being all mixed up. She is grateful for letting Blanche do this for her... yet she is also in doubt of herself. What if the disguise is easily recognized? What if Rose finds out that Dorothy managed to lie just to tell the truth? What if Rose leaves Miami for good? What if-

"Rose! I'm so glad that I found you. I'm sorry if I'm a tad late, I was preparing my best foot to put forward for this occasion."

"It's fine, Blanche," Rose replies, her smile radiating the room, "and is this the date you promised me for the ball?"

Well... Here goes nothing.

"Yes," Blanche clears her throat, waving her hand towards the dashing person beside her, "Rose... Meet Romeo. Romeo, this is Rose: the innocent loving person that I mentioned to you about."

Romeo (Dorothy) then extends his hand for Rose to shake, stuttering when he speaks up, "I-It's a pleasure to meet you, Rose."

"Well, so am I," Rose extends her hand to grasp his, "Say, you sound awfully familiar..."

When he lets go, Romeo stiffens, standing upright like a tree, "I beg your pardon?"

"Your voice," Rose says, "it sounds just like my friend Dorothy's!"

An inner sigh of relief.

"Speaking of which, Blanche," Rose questions, looking around the room, "where's Dorothy? She tagged along with you and Sophia, right?"

Blanche quickly glances at Romeo, knowing that Romeo _is_ Dorothy. Without further hesitations, she clears her throat and gently pushes Romeo towards her.

"Dorothy _did_ tag along, Rose. It's just that she's somewhere around this room, busy with the date I grabbed for her."

"Thank you, Blanche... for doing this for me."

"Enjoy the night, Rose. For both of you."

* * *

"Say, care to tango with me, Rose?"

"I would love to, Romeo."

Surprisingly, Rose seems to enjoy her time with Romeo. They talked about Romeo's background, which is, according to Rose, a tad similar to Dorothy's, while walking around the ballroom to examine the entertainers perched on little stages around the sides-some coming from the outside. Afterwards, when they felt famished and parched, they both tried each delicacy there is on the buffet table, funnily feeding each other and laugh about it. Then, they both approached Blanche with her date, talking how the ball has been for them so far. When Rose expressed how lovely Romeo is, Dorothy can't help but feel flustered. She made Rose's night before the New Year as special as she can do through Romeo. The words that flow out of the naïveté's lips form a lovely adventurous story as similar as to ones that are all about her escapades in St. Olaf. It was quite long, but Blanche seems to be glad that Rose is having a good time, and as the Southern belle glances to the lady in disguise...

She can't help but smile at Dorothy, her expression saying "Good job!" for what she had done so far.

After their conversation with the Southern belle, they both went back to the table they're both seated in. They both watch the couples dance around the ballroom, doing several dance styles such as Rumba, Waltz, Foxtrot, and Cha-cha. Of course, feeling the rhythm of the beat, they both clapped along and cheered for all of them. As they clap to the tempo, Romeo cannot help but slowly stop clapping just to look at the naïveté in front of him. Her loving crystalline blue eyes glimmer with colors from the gems above them, making her glow like a firefly. Her smile is the best part: the naïveté habitually bites her lip after she giggles alot from his corny jokes and (made-up) anecdotes. Though, Romeo pierces through her because he sensed something from Rose...

She also wants to dance like the couples around the ballroom.

At first, Dorothy feels afraid. She fears for Rose to topple over her and become the worst embarrassment to ever happen before the year ends, setting a tone for the upcoming year ahead of them... Then, it dawned on her.

It's Romeo who'll be dancing with Rose, not her. After all, Dorothy's posing as this character for a reason.

With all her mustered courage, for the sake of Romeo, she stands up...

and offers.

Which leads them to where they are at that moment: a moment to Tango.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Left it in a cliffhanger because the next chapter will be a great one. uwu


	6. Retreat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When it felt like bliss for both...
> 
> One cherishes...
> 
> And the other abandons it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! I hope you all are enjoying this story so far. If you wish to give me good feedback or want to give me more inspiration to write another chapter (please I need some of this lol), just comment at the end of this chapter!
> 
> Enjoy!
> 
> Sendin' uwus,  
> itsjustkdp
> 
> P.S. Remember, folks! Dorothy = Romeo

Dorothy—behind the disguise of Romeo—and Rose snappily closed the space between them in a closed dance position, their faces shift from looking at each other to the audience. They both prance into the ballroom with each smooth step, their feet both in sync. Everyone in the ballroom—even Blanche and Sophia—looked at both of them twirling and dancing around the center of the room. Some couples even stopped dancing to simply watch and adapt from them.

It's kind of funny for Rose because... the feeling of this dance feels so familiar.

Romeo's touch.

Romeo's stance.

Romeo's stare.

It feels all too familiar for her.

Rose just looks in awe at Romeo, her body flowing and moving around with his. For the naïveté, she felt that it's as if her mind fell into a trance. A trance that suddenly sparked from dancing with her date for the night. Rose feels those butterflies that flutter inside her stomach once again, the same feeling she got after Dorothy and she won the dance marathon and gave her a kiss on the cheek the morning after. The same feeling that she got after Dorothy sang a touching song in front of the customers at a newly-opened coffee shop. At this point, Rose feels confused. She questions herself, perhaps, as to why she feels this sudden and familiar trance that she felt when having good times with Dorothy. It doesn't make sense for her: she just met this man named Romeo and, after just a few hours, she suddenly feels like...

Like she's falling for him. For Romeo.

Rose is unsure why, but she feels like she wants to spend more time with this lovely man who told her all his adventures and anecdotes from his escapades. Her heart beats quicker than ever before. Her body feels limp, but Romeo prevents her from falling since he has a good grip of her waist. Her cheeks went all flustered, which made Romeo notice—frankly, he also smiled warmly at this remark. Couples slowly begin to dance along with Romeo and Rose, the moment of Tango being livelier than ever before. Blanche and her date passed by the two of them, greeting each other before fading away to the side. Sophia watched while sitting on one of the tables, her hunger still not being satisfied as she devours a whole plate of French pastries. 

The vibe of the room reached its zenith, the crowds cheering for the dancing couples. Glasses clink as others drink the night—and the year—away. 

Before the song ended, Romeo suddenly twirls Rose around and dips her, leaving the naïveté shocked at what he did. Romeo smiles at her again, making Rose blush more than the last time she had blushed. When Romeo carries Rose back up, they get caught in surprise as the whole room cheers for them. They both let go of each other, awkwardly laughing at each other as they fix themselves and their masks. Then—

_DING!!!_

"It's the final countdown before a brand new year starts! Everybody, on the count of one, grab your partner and kiss them to set the tone!"

_Crap..._

Romeo's—Dorothy's—eyes widen in shock. He—rather, she—isn't prepared for this...

Dorothy soon remembers the conversation she had with Blanche as the belle puts her final touches with the teacher's makeover before turning into Romeo.

* * *

_"Now, I may be assuming things, but.." Blanche says as she swipes more lines onto Dorothy's brows to make it bolder, "I'm sure that every couple will kiss when the clock strikes midnight tonight."_

_"What makes you assume that?" Dorothy glances at the belle, now adding final touches to her brows before moving on to adding a bit more to the five o'clock beard—which, according to Dorothy, is a ridiculous addition since it wouldn't be seen that much below the mask she'll wear._

_"Dorothy, I know these things, believe me. It's a legend that, every New Year's Eve, a kiss from someone sets the whole tone for that whole year."_

_"That's just ridiculous," the teacher rolls her eyes and shakes her head, "I bet that won't happen."_

_"But what if it does, Dorothy?" Blanche asks, picking up a new brush to blend together the shades of black and gray plastered onto Dorothy's chin, "Will you just chicken out, or will you step your game up and kiss Rose?"_

_For a moment, Dorothy is unable to speak, staring only at Blanche and her questions. Her heart quickly races, the thought of kissing Rose sending her into fear and panic. If she were honest, she would tell this: Dorothy has never kissed a woman before, let alone kissing a lovely woman like Rose. Of course, she knows how to kiss men since she had experiences kissing a yutz like Stan—of course, that's a different story, but it definitely tells about the same context: kissing someone. Dorothy wanted to ask tips from Blanche on how to kiss women, but it's a ridiculous move since Blanche plays her cards only to men. Just men. For the first time, Dorothy has nowhere to go: she has a ton of opportunities, but she can make only one decision on which opportunity to go to._

_"Honey, listen to me," Blanche looks at Dorothy in the eye, her expression serious, "I know you want to admit your feelings to Rose, I can see that in your eyes. I have also seen how you look and act around Rose lately, and it's making you an emotional wreck. It's odd of you to fall in love with another woman, but what the hell can I do? I can't stop you from falling in love with Rose, but don't ever... I repeat, don't ever, stop yourself from feeling these affections for Rose. Because if you do, you'll just regret it 'til the day you die. So will you kiss Rose when the clock strikes midnight or not?"_

_Silence..._

_Dorothy raises her hands up, shrugging at her confusion, "I just... don't know."_

_"Just don't dwell on it too much, Dorothy," the belle sighs and pats her shoulders before moving on to fixing her hair from an unkempt to a coiffed one, "It's just an assumption of mine."_

_"But... if you were to be in my shoes, Blanche, and that your assumption actually came true," Dorothy begins after a moment of silence, "what would you do?"_

_"Boy, you make things tougher for yourself, ain't it, honey?" Blanche shakes her head at her, but reconsiders in answering her question, "Well, just go for it."_

_"Go for it..." the teacher repeats what the belle answered to her question, "And then what?"_

_"Enjoy the moment, just before things get awfully slippery like herrings jumping on top of a frozen pond."_

* * *

_Ten... Nine... Eight..._

Romeo looks around the room, everybody counting altogether—even Rose chimed in and yelled the last few numbers. He is in panic. He doesn't know at this point what to do. If the countdown strikes to one, will he just go for it? Will he chicken out? Will he even cause a scene just to sidetrack everything? 

_Seven... Six... Five..._

Romeo then looks at Rose, now looking around the room and anticipating for another year to begin. Romeo gulps hard, the lump on his throat large enough that made it difficult to swallow it down. His fear continues to rise. Doubts then start to kick in.

_Four... Three... Two..._

Romeo desperately looks for Blanche, and when he caught her attention once she spots him looking at her, the belle then mouths: "Just. Kiss. Her!" When Romeo looks back at Rose, he quickly—and rashly—yanks her closer to him.

_One._

Rose's eyes widened.

Romeo kissed her.

Like it was the most romantic and passionate kiss they shared to each other.

The world suddenly slows down for them. The crowds cheer in the background, glasses klinking together and others greeting themselves another new year to celebrate. Couples kiss each other. Performers entertain livelier than before, also cheering and looking forward for what's ahead. As for Rose?

She feels like she's on cloud nine.

Rose can't help but close her eyes and kiss him back. Romeo felt this too, so he tilted his head to achieve that perfect fit. He then cups Rose's plump and soft cheeks, gently caressing her skin below her owl mask. Rose places her hands on top of his. The feeling sent jolts of electricity towards their own bodies, the feeling of passion flowing like wild ocean waves. The naïveté never felt this kind of kiss before. This kiss feels... unusual and interesting. She now knows that Romeo is a skilled kisser. Romeo's lips were also plump and soft just like hers, but warmer. She doesn't know why, maybe it was the fact that her lips were just colder than his, but... it's strange for her that this kiss feels so perfect. So grand.

Like the final piece of a puzzle.

And from this puzzle, Rose wants to see the bigger picture: she wants to see Romeo more.

_tsup._

"Happy New Year, everyone!!! You may all take off your masks to see who you've kissed!"

Rose bows her head down, carefully unclasping her owl mask from her face. When she opens her eyes and looks up again...

"Romeo?"

And just like that, Romeo's gone with the wind.

* * *

_Good, no one's home yet._

The sun begins to rise as Dorothy is the very first one to arrive home, the Miami abode dark and silent after she entered the living room, the faint orange hues from the sun glazing the living room with a faint, warm glow. She quickly turns on the lights of the room just before she walks towards her bedroom. As she shuts and locks the door behind her, she takes off her wolf mask, her face being all flustered and her eyes brimming with tears. Dorothy then puts her hand into her mouth, letting the tears from her eyes fall down from her cheeks to the floor, leaving lines of tear stains across her now ruined five o'clock shadow that Blanche worked so hard to put onto her.

_thud!_

She unconsciously drops the mask to the floor before sliding down to press her face to her knees. Dorothy _did_ want that kiss to happen, so she had no choice but to kiss Rose like there's no tomorrow. After she withdrew from the kiss, she suddenly chickens out. She knows the reason: she is afraid.

Afraid of Rose finding out the truth.

The truth that Dorothy is falling in love for Rose.

"What the hell have I gotten myself into..?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you're enjoying this story so far! Apologies if it took me long to update this since I was dealing with schoolworks still. Also, my birthday is coming up, which is on the 16th. So, if you wish to greet me a happy 18th bday, just comment below. 
> 
> Please give feedback and compliments if you wish. :)
> 
> More to come! uwu


	7. Reveal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dorothy can no longer bear to hide the truth from Rose...
> 
> The truth that she has feelings for her.

"Did Dorothy come out of her room yet, Blanche?"

"I'm afraid not, Rose... and it's been two weeks since the New Year's masquerade ball."

"Gosh, I'm awfully concerned about her..."

"Same here, honey."

It's true: the girls are worried sick about Dorothy. Blanche, knowing the teacher's disposition before the ball, had tried to speak with her; unlucky enough, Dorothy pushes Blanche and the other girls away, depressed from what happened at the ball. Rose, on the other hand, though she had a wonderful time with her date that night, she wondered ever since the first day of the new year how Dorothy's date went. Noticing that Dorothy was rather quiet after the ball, Rose's assumptions lead to the fact that the teacher's date dumped her after the New Year's kiss and the reveal from the masks. 

The three other girls spent their afternoon in the kitchen, taking time to do whatever they wanted to do: Rose is reading a fantasy novel, whilst Sophia continued knitting what seems to be a pastel orange-colored sweater. Blanche, on the contrary, decides to make a little snack for Dorothy—the teacher's favorite snack to say the least, hoping that this will convince her to talk about what _actually_ happened to her. When the Southern belle was finished, she excuses herself to go to Dorothy's room and take another shot. Once the belle reached Dorothy's door, she took a deep breath just before she raises her fist to the wooden door in front of her and...

_knock! knock! knock!_

"... Who is it?" Dorothy's weak voice protrudes through the door, the volume similar to a whisper.

"Blanche. Honey, please let me in and talk to me," Blanche gently says, her voice soothing and convincing, "I made your favorite snack."

_creak..._

The wooden door swings open for a bit, allowing Blanche to enter—a wind of success gushes through the belle's shoulders. When the entered, she made sure to lock the door behind her. As she turned back from locking the door, she saw how messed up Dorothy's room is: several pieces of tissue are either cluttered near her nightstand or spread all over the place, books are piled up next to Dorothy's place on the bed, the curtains are closed from the rays of sunlight—which still penetrate through the blinds, and Dorothy's outfit from the night of the ball is perched onto the chair next to her bed—the mask somehow perfectly placed on the chair even. After she looked around, she then gazes to Dorothy sitting on the foot of the bed, whose eyes are awfully red and puffy from all the tears she had shed for two weeks. Her nightgown is too worn out at this point. Her hair is still coiffed, but its shape is lost after the belle did her makeover to turn as Romeo. 

Blanche then slowly approaches Dorothy and sat down beside her, offering her the snack the belle made for her. Dorothy stared at the food for a bit, giving a second thought whether to eat it or not since it's her favorite snack in front of her. When her stomach grumbled lowly, she took the bowl from Blanche's hands and weakly thanked her. Blanche just sat there, watching Dorothy eat for the first time in weeks, the concern now growing from the pit of her stomach. After what seemed to be a minute of finishing her snack, Dorothy gently set the bowl down on the floor near her feet and spoke up once more, but louder this time than from earlier.

"Blanche..."

"Yes, honey?"

Dorothy reaches for Blanche's left hand and clasps it with both of hers, looking down upon it just before looking back at the belle, "... Our plan worked."

Blanche's eyes widen, stunned, "W-worked?"

Dorothy nods.

"But how?"

"To tell you the truth: it _did_ work... but..."

"What made it fail?"

"... Me."

"You?"

Dorothy nods again.

"W-What did you do to make this fail?"

The teacher sheds a tear from her right eye, remembering all too clearly about her little incident, "... I chickened out."

"I... I thought you were prepared to admit to Rose how you feel."

"I thought so, too... It's _that_ part that I didn't expect to happen."

Blanche thought for a moment, tracing back the steps on what happened during the time that the clock striked at 12 midnight, "... It's the kiss part, ain't it?"

Dorothy sighs as she nods, bowing her head upon her answer.

"See? I told you..."

The teacher glances at Blanche, her remark upsetting her, "So what if you told me? God, Blanche, you sound like you're so full of yourself!"

"Hey!" Blanche's voice raises a bit, "I am definitely _not_ full of myself! Well... not all the time, at least."

"Blanche!!!"

"Okay! I have to admit: I totally did not expect the kiss part too... but it's not that heavy of a matter, Dorothy!"

"For you, it is not; but to me, it is!" Dorothy sheds a few tears.

"You kissed Rose, didn't you?"

Dorothy nods.

"And... how did it feel?"

Dorothy then looks at Blanche, "You want me to be honest?"

"Yes."

"... It was heavenly. Like, I'm in cloud nine with her... but as Romeo."

"How did you kiss her?"

"... As me. Not as Romeo... I mean, y'know, the way I kiss her, to say the least."

* * *

"You called for me tonight, Dorothy?"

"Yes, Rose..."

It's time.

Dorothy mustered all her courage earlier after her talk with Blanche about the night at the ball. The teacher asked the Southern belle that, after dinnertime—with Dorothy freshening up a bit while they ate, she would ask Rose to come to her room and set things straight. Dorothy can no longer hold back anymore, and she needs to let her feelings out before it's too late. 

Rose entered the room and gently closed the door behind her. When she turned back from the door, she can see the teacher sitting on the foot of the bed, fidgeting with her fingers and still not looking at the naïveté in front of her. Rose then slowly approached Dorothy, sitting beside her.

"You said we needed to talk... right?"

"Yes... Rose," Dorothy looked at Rose for a moment just before she stood up to walk to her nightstand, "There's something you need to know."

As she reached her nightstand, Dorothy being a foot away from it, she held out her hand to grasp the handle of the drawer. Upon gripping the brass handle, she stopped her tracks. She's hesitating for a moment, since Rose will finally know the truth about her: her facade at the ball. 

_Should I still push through this? Yes... you have to tell her, Dorothy. Tell her everything._

She finally pulls the drawer and grabs something from it before pushing it back to place. As Dorothy walked back to where she initially sat, she gave the object to Rose, letting the naïveté inspect what it is. When Rose finally realized what the object is, she looked up at Dorothy, her eyes filled with confusion.

"This is Romeo's mask."

"Yes it is."

"H-How come do you have his mask? He was my date for the ball."

"I know, and this is where I'll reveal to you about something, Rose: Romeo _is_ me..."

The naïveté just chuckles, thinking that Dorothy is only joking, "That's impossible! You can't be Romeo. I feel like you just stole his mask after he took it off!"

"I'm serious, Rose!"

"Oh, Dorothy, you're not even a man!"

"I know that."

Rose shakes her head, still smiling from earlier, "Then why are you telling me that you're Romeo?"

"Rose, hand me the mask..."

The naïvete hands the mask to the teacher. Dorothy then wears the mask, making sure that the strap behind her head is surely secured. Then, she gently grasps Rose's waist, the naïveté shocked from her grip. Rose stopped smiling, her expression now full of confusion and fluster. Dorothy's heartbeat quickens, and her thoughts full of doubt. Though, she has no choice: if words fail, then actions will not.

"Let me show you, then."

"Dorothy, what're you—"

_yank!_

Dorothy kisses Rose right there, the naïveté jumping a bit from her touch. Dorothy then tilts her head to the side, just exactly how she did as Romeo during the ball. She felt Rose kiss back, her eyes closing and her hands resting on the teacher's shoulders. Rose admits to herself: this kiss from Dorothy feels good...

Heaven.

Bliss.

And somehow, all too familiar.

Then it dawned on her.

Rose quickly pushes Dorothy away, withdrawing from the kiss. She then stood up, her eyes widen upon realizing that Dorothy is telling her the truth.

"I can't believe it," Rose shakes her head in denial, "You _are_ Romeo. The Romeo who's _my_ date at the ball!"

Dorothy then stands up, taking the mask off her and throwing it to the bed behind her, "I wanted to tell you sooner... I'm sorry."

"Why didn't you, then? How could you pull off a stunt like that!?"

"Because I love you, Rose... I love you as more than a friend! I wanted to tell you, but I was afraid to express them as me: as a woman."

silence.

"I have to go," Rose then walks to the door, "I love you, too... but not the same level as what you expect it to be."

_SLAM!!!_

_thud._

Dorothy has had it... She gave up. She picked up the mask behind her and threw it to the door.

_THUD!!!_

"DAMN IT!!!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everyone! Apologies if this chapter is short, but don't worry, I'll make it up in a few chapters! This story will end soon in just a few chapters, and we reached half of the story so far. I really do hope you enjoy this story, since it's a therapeutic practice for me amidst everything going on this 2020.
> 
> More to come! uwu


	8. Reassess

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Rose found out the truth, she needed more answers...
> 
> She seeks...
> 
> And the Sicilian lady tells all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The "Picture it" part later in this chapter is purely fictional since Sophia made it up.

_*Later that night...*_

"Sophia, are you awake?"

The door of Sophia's room swings open. Sophia stands there, rather annoyed by how Rose is still up despite that the New Year Masquerade Ball is over a few days ago, but her expression shifts into a concerned one as she sees the naïveté covered in tear-stained linings on her cheeks. Upon entering the room and letting Sophia close the door behind her, Rose quickly hugs Sophia tightly for a moment just until the old lady taps her by the shoulder.

"Rose, what are you trained for, cracking people's backs?" She says, her sass fully out there despite being drowsy of sleep, "Let go of me for a minute."

"I'm sorry, Sophia," Rose replies, withdrawing from the hug and sitting on the edge of the bed, "I'm just... overwhelmed."

"Overwhelmed by how the plot twists?"

"Plot of what?"

"The plot of 'Romeo and Juliet,' Rose... I meant by how you were shocked by what happened during the ball!"

"Oh... I am just... confused at myself."

Sophia pats her on the back before she wraps her arm around her shoulder, "Why so?"

"... Dorothy kissed me."

"Oh, that."

Rose's eyes widen, her assumption of Sophia's reaction being false, "You knew about it?"

"Blanche told me about it upon hearing the banter between you and Dorothy earlier before lights out," she replies to her, "Not to mention, the slut was bummed that she didn't even land a kiss on her man in the ball and sat by the bar since he wimped out on her last-minute."

"Anyways, I'm just upset because I didn't know how to react! B-But..."

"But?"

Rose can't make her words up, but she knew what she needed to say. So, straightforwardly, she said...

"I kissed her back... and it felt heavenly."

Sophia nods, "Well, if it felt heavenly, why are you upset in the first place?"

"She told me after that..."

"What is?"

"Y'know..." Rose gesticulates, "Telling me how she feels about me... She said she loves me!"

"What's wrong with that?"

"You aren't mad?"

"Of course not!" Sophia stands up to place her purse on top of the table in front of the both of them, grabbing something petite before going back to sit beside the naïveté, "And it's not wrong either for you to fall in love with a woman like my daughter."

"H-How do you know all of this!?"

"Please, I can detect a woman falling in love with another woman despite having cataracts around my eyes at my age!"

Rose snickers a little, wiping off the tears that continue to fall. Sophia then turns to her and holding her hands with hers.

"Rose, what I mean is..." Sophia begins, "I know you love her."

"How so?"

"I can sense it every time you gaze at her last few months ago," she replies, "Your face glows and is in awe by what Dorothy does that amazes you... Every. Single. Time..."

"I... I don't know why Romeo turned out to be Dorothy," Rose squints, confused still, "Is there some sort of magic behind all of this?"

Sophia knew the naïveté would bring it up since they had all the magic shenanigans back in St. Olaf, but she then sets herself to reveal the truth.

"Rose, you now know that your Romeo _is_ Dorothy since she told you a while ago. She really wanted to express her love for you during the ball by that kiss."

Rose stares blankly at her, the thought sinking in.

"She _does_ love me, huh?"

"Beats me. She is all head to toes for you!"

Rose then bows her head, "I don't know what to do now... That's why I came to you, Sophia, since you know Dorothy more than I do."

"All of this coming from an airhead like you."

"Sophia..."

"I'm kidding," Sophia laughs a bit before being serious, "Let me tell you a story... Picture it: Sicily, 1932."

And the Sicilian lady tells all about a tale of a young peasant girl having feelings for a woman as beautiful and as talented as her. They laugh. They share pizza recipes. They sing away the worries of their nights. The woman then told her the truth that upsetted the peasant girl: she's a man. The peasant girl stayed upset for a few days, just before she realized that the truth doesn't affect how she feels for the man. Of course, the story ended at a note that the peasant girl was Sophia herself... and the man's name is Salvadore, her husband.

Rose got shocked at the story, but Sophia told her she made it all up.

She also added, "The main point of that story is: The truth sets you free, but it doesn't mean that the truth will set you apart from the person you love."

"Gee, Sophia, I still don't know what to do..."

"But I know what you're thinking: you're confused at how you feel for Dorothy."

"I don't think I can love her back as... more than a friend."

"Your mind thinks of that, but your heart wants to defy it."

"Y-You don't really mind me having feelings for Dorothy?"

"Rose, this is how Jean feels in the first place when she had feelings for you."

"R-Really? Does this mean that... Dorothy is like Jean?"

"I can't argue with that since it shows," Sophia holds one of Rose's hands and places the object she got from her purse on top of it, "Here. I want you to have this."

When the old lady lets go, Rose inspects the object placed onto her hands: a golden necklace with a rose as its charm.

"... A necklace. What for?"

"If you're ready, let her clasp this onto you."

"What does that mean?"

"You'll know in God's time, Rose..."

Rose looks at it for a few moments, just before she closes her hand and clutches it onto her chest, "Whatever this will lead me to, thank you, Sophia."

"Anytime... Now, get out before I whack you with a salami!"

* * *

_*A few days later*_

"GIRLS!!!"

  
Blanche forcefully pushes the door and bursts to the kitchen in panic, making both Dorothy and Sophia glance at the panting Southern belle.

"Another delivery man in his tight shorts, again?" Dorothy sarcastically asks, making Sophia snicker a bit.

"Worse," Blanche says seriously, "Rose's room is fully empty."

"EMPTY!?"

Dorothy and Sophia both stand up to run after Blanche towards Rose's room. When they harshly swing open the door, they saw nothing but a small note perched on the neatly made bed. Dorothy then walks to the bed and picks up the note. She then reads it out loud for both Blanche and Sophia to hear, saying...

_If you are all going to look for me, please don't._

_I just need some time alone, so I'm off to somewhere else but here..._

_To reassess everything._

_\- Rose_

Dorothy then sighs and rubs her temple with her free hand, thinking that it's all her fault. It _is_ her fault, telling her the truth rather quickly than sooner. Blanche and Sophia slowly walk to her, caressing her back upon seeing the teacher tear up. Dorothy then folds up the note and inserts it into her pocket. Blanche breaks the silence...

"Are you really alright, Dorothy?"

"... This is all my fault."

"Why wouldn't it be? You were the one who planned to be Romeo in the first place!"

Blanche weakly slaps the Sicilian lady's shoulder, muttering her name in the process just to shush her. The Southern belle then pops another question...

"How long will she be out?"

"I don't know..."

Dorothy then shakes her head. She has no choice but to respect the naïveté's wishes. They all have to...

"All we can do now is wait 'til she comes back home."


	9. Reflection

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rose needed more guidance...
> 
> And she had no other choice but to go to another lady who had had her fair share with this unusual feeling.

"Rose! I haven't seen you since my visit in Miami."

"But we have kept in touch, didn't we?"

Few days prior, Rose decided to send a letter to Jean and asked her if she can return the favor and visit her. Surprisingly, Jean responded back and accepted her request. Of course, she wrote her address in the letter so she would know where to go. Rose didn't know who to turn to after what had happened during that night when Dorothy revealed to her the truth not only about her facade, but also how she's feeling for the naïveté. As a matter of fact, she's still confused: this kind of love is... morally wrong—for her, to say the least. As the days pass by, Rose stayed in her room and moped about all that had happened since the ball. At nights, when everyone else is sleeping, she sneaks out and sends her letters to Jean; of course, she didn't want to let others know so she decided to send it somewhere but their mailbox right outside the house. 

Well, all things lead to this moment: Rose is finally on Jean's doorstep.

After their tight hug, Jean noticed two large suitcases right behind Rose, "I see you've brought your things."

Rose scratched her nape, laughing a bit, "Yeah, I thought of staying here for a few days... You wouldn't mind, right?"

"Not at all."

* * *

"Jean, I... I came here because I have a thought."

"I'm all ears, Rose. Tell me..."

"... How did you love Pat back? I mean, y'know, since she's also a woman like you."

Rose and Jean caught up with a few things about their lives just earlier since the latter's visit. They're now both sipping tea in the living room, both of them sitting on the rather comfy sofa. Though, it's making Rose uncomfortable because of her lingering thought. She needed advice—no, more than advice. Guidance, perhaps. 

Jean's eyes widen a bit, shocked at Rose's question; she then answers, but in a form of a question, "I-Is there something bothering you lately?"

"There is, but I want to know how you loved Pat back first..."

Jean clears her throat before she sets down her teacup on the coffee table, "Well, it's just simple: I loved Pat as who she is. No labels. No boundaries. Nothing... it's just her."

"Oh... I-I just thought you love her because she's... y'know, like you."

"You mean a lesbian, Rose?" Jean smiles at Rose, amused at the naïveté's doubting expression whether to say the term or not.

"Y-Yes, a... l-lesbian."

"Is there a reason why you ask me this?"

Rose nods before she takes a deep breath, "Dorothy told me she loves me, but more than as a friend."

"Oh?" Jean shifts her position to face her, her arm now resting on top of the sofa, "And how did you respond?"

"I told her I love her too, but _just_ as a friend..."

Silence then enters the atmosphere, with Jean processing what Rose just told her and the latter fidgeting with the rim of the teacup. Rose was awfully quiet, hesitating whether to say something or change the topic entirely. She then puts down her cup and places her hands on her lap. Jean clears her throat and then breaks this long silence, the air no longer being thick.

"Rose, may I speak frank?"

"What is it..?"

"You... look like you love Dorothy as _more than_ a friend."

The naïveté's eyes widen, a mixture of confusion and shock plastered onto her face, "M-More than a friend? That's impossible, I-I don't think that's how I feel!"

Jean points to Rose's mind, "This tells you _that_."

Then, she points to her heart, "But this... tells you the _opposite_ of that."

"O-Opposite?"

Jean giggles, "I guess you still _are_ confused..."

"Which is why I came here in the first place, Jean. I-I just don't know what to do with these growing feelings!"

Jean giggles once more, patting the naïveté's left shoulder this time, "Rose, it's okay. You may not understand now... but you will once you realize how much you mean to Dorothy and her to you."

"But, can you help me in knowing more about these feelings of mine?"

"I will, Rose... no matter how long it will take."

Rose nods and hugs Jean. Dorothy and her have been friends for a good while now, but she doesn't know how to respond to how the teacher feels for her just yet. She needs to find out more. She needs to seek answers... but about what? 

Then a question sparked her interest a bit. So, Rose asks...

"... Tell me: did Dorothy feel these things too?"

"Oh, yes she did," Jean lets go and puts her hands behind her head, "Back in college, I remember how she's too flustered when a woman she likes is beside her. Sophia even noticed it during our graduation day... Boy, was Sophia upset! Though, she accepted it anyways."

"That she had feelings for other women, too?"

Jean nods, "If you want, I could tell you more about Dorothy back in the younger days."

"Oh, yes please! Tell me more!"

* * *

After Rose said goodnight to Jean, she then looks at the nightstand near her comfy bed. Laid there is the necklace that Sophia gave to her a few days ago, the rose charm shining under the moonlight. The naïveté sat near the nightstand, picking up the necklace and brushing her fingertips along the golden chains then towards the charm. As she examines the charm, she then perched herself up the window near her bed, gazing towards the brightly-lit stars. The moon being a full one and shining brightly onto the brightly-lit buildings and homes around her. The stars forming constellations that she can now distinguish from one another—she can now distinguish the Big Dipper constellation from the Little Dipper one thanks to an article she read somewhere.

She then remembers the night after Jean's visit: the night that Dorothy and Rose were unable to sleep. Her thoughts linger on that moment alone, remembering when she asked Dorothy if it's unusual to have feelings for someone of the same sex. After what seemed to be a few minutes of gazing into the moon, she then realized that, from that moment forward, these unusual feelings seem to stem from what claims to be the source of everything.

Dorothy.

Memories of them together flourish, like the breeze of the cold wind. The moment during the night of the dance marathon and the morning after. The moment she planted that kiss on her cheek. The moment she was in awe of how Dorothy hit those soothing notes with her baritone voice back at the coffee shop. Then...

The moment at the New Year's Masquerade Ball: The moment Dorothy—Romeo—spent the night with her, that moment being sealed with a passionate and romantic kiss.

Rose's heart quickened in a snap, jolts of electricity sent to parts of her body from the shock. She then remember's Dorothy's voice, the last words that she spoke to her just before leaving her room that night...

_"I love you, Rose... I love you as more than a friend! I wanted to tell you, but I was afraid to express them as me: as a woman."_

Then, she remembers the last words she spoke to her back... The words that she _now_ regretted to tell her.

_"I love you, too... but not the same level as what you expect it to be."_

_sob!_

Rose sheds a tear.

A tear of sorrow. A tear of regret.

Rose then hugs herself, the necklace clutched onto her chest. For the first time in a while, she feels... alone. Alone from everyone. Alone from the girls back in Miami.

Alone from Dorothy.

For the first time, too, Rose never needed her more than now. She needs her presence. Her comfort. Her hug. Her soothing voice.

She wants her.

But she can't go back to Miami at this time of night. Rose needs a few more days to figure things out. To figure out how to approach Dorothy and finally tell her...

Finally tell her that she loves her, too.

"I guess I love you, too, Dorothy... as _more_ than a friend."


	10. Return

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a few months of being apart from each other...
> 
> Rose is finally ready to commit.

_*Three months later*_

"Hi it's me, Stan."

"What do you want now, Stanley?"

Dorothy groans as her ex-husband shows up at their door during the night, probably wanting to show something to her and the other girls—which will have a high chance of happening, Dorothy assumed. Blanche and Sophia are busy doing their respective things, taking some time off to gaze at their _frequent_ visitor. When Dorothy went back to sit on the couch and Stan closed the door behind him, he clasps his hands and rubs it together, preparing what to say to the girls.

Though, his question is what shocked them...

"Is Rose already back? I haven't seen her for a few months now."

Dorothy tenses and Blanche immediately senses this, the teacher's shoulders seem to stiffen from Stan's unusual question.

It's true: it's been a _lonely_ three months since Rose unknowingly left the Miami abode to who knows where. Blanche and Sophia are worried wrecks for Dorothy, especially the fact that the latter felt rejected for what Rose told the teacher about her feelings for the naïveté. Dorothy, on the other hand, is doing her best to hide her pain. Although, during the numerous late nights, Dorothy cannot sleep well since her mind led her to many thoughts about Rose. The teacher cried during such nights, the hurt still lingering in her chest. She wonders sometimes how Rose is handling all this. She had hunches that the naïveté went back to St. Olaf to sort things out—a change of scenery, to say the least, even if it's just her hometown. Blanche and Sophia try their best to cheer her up. The Sicilian lady cooks up her favorite foods while the Southern belle suggested movies to rent and other shenanigans that they could do to ease the pain a little bit.

Though they tried, none of them seem to work.

Blanche can sense that Dorothy is unable to speak, her lips quivering and trying to speak out an answer.

"To be honest, Stan? She's not yet back. We don't know where she went after she left the house..."

The belle had no choice but to tell him the truth. They can no longer make excuses to him since his visits are more frequent. Either he wanted to show his new novelty gifts and grabbing the girls' insights, or just wanted food because his stomach craved for cheesecake or any other thing in the fridge. Though, his purpose for this visit is rare. _Actually rare._

Stan frowns a bit, feeling saddened by the news. For a few moments, all of them became still in silence. The air too thick and the moment being all the more awkward, not one having the urge to say something to someone. Then, Stan takes a deep breath and breaks the moment of silence.

"The reason I came here is obvious, I believe..."

Sophia's eyes squint a bit, confused at what he said, "What reason? To show another one of those novelty crap of yours?"

"No, Sophia—and, if I may add, they're not crap," Stan says.

"Then why are you _really_ here?" Blanche asks.

"... I need to talk to Dorothy."

Dorothy looks up from her feet, then stands up to walk to the door of the kitchen, "Alright, but make this quick, Stanley... I have better things to do."  
  


* * *

When they're both in the kitchen, Dorothy took her seat on the kitchen table and told Stan to take his as well. After he sat down on one of the chairs across her, the teacher asks.

"What is it that you want to talk to me about, Stanley?"

"... I wanted to check up on you. See how you're feeling so far without Rose here."

Dorothy did not expect that.

This side of Stan is unusual. Did he know about the moment she told Rose that she loves her? If yes, then how? Who said the word to him in the first place?

Well, she doesn't want to mind that for now. The subject matter is what Stan said: how she's feeling without Rose with them in the abode. With her.

And honestly? She's not handling this situation well enough.

Dorothy shakes her head, "May I be frank? We... feel incomplete in this house. _I_ feel incomplete without her."

"Is this because of what you told her that night?"

Time to pop the question, "Who... who told you all of this?"

"Blanche told me," Stan replies, "I still owe her a favor after she told me that."

"Oh," that is what Dorothy managed to say.

"Back to my question. I wanna know how _you_ feel about everything."

"... For the first time—or maybe second time—in my life since our divorce, I... I feel alone. Incomplete. Hurt. Confused. I-I don't know, maybe 'mixed up' is a decent term to generalize how I feel."

"Because of Rose, I assume?"

Dorothy shrugs, "Is there any other reason?"

"Not that I can think of right now."

"I just don't know if I did the right thing: tell her the truth about it. I think... Rose is the reason why I feel whole again. I get all flustered around her and I feel lighter. Happier. Stronger. Wiser... I think I still love her until now, but..."

"You're doubting she's going to love you like that, too?"

Dorothy nods, "Not only that. This will take a toll on our friendship..."

The conversation between her and Stan is actually helpful for her to let out the things she wished to say. Well, she wanted to tell Blanche and her mother, but she didn't want to add another burden to their shoulders since she's done enough of that.

Stan nods, "Don't worry, Dorothy... I know how you feel."

"I'm guessing this is also relatable to your situation with the bimbo."

"Chrissie is _not_ a bimbo, Dorothy!" Stan rebuts, "She's not cheap either."

"Oh damn it, just go straight to the point of this whole conversation, Stanley!"

"Okay, okay! Here it goes," Stan breathes before he speaks up, "If you _do_ love Rose, why don't you redeem yourself to her? You may have failed the first time, but... it doesn't hurt to try to get her heart again, right?"

"I can't believe you're actually giving decent love advice to me," Dorothy says after moments of thinking, the advice sunken into her thoughts, "but, I can't. I don't know when she's coming back..."

"That's because she is _now_ back."  
  


That voice.   
  


Dorothy turns around to its source, and her eyes widen in shock. Her heart pounds from her chest, quickening up to see...  
  


Rose.  
  


"Hello."

"Hi, Rose," Stan nonchalantly waves, being good at hiding his shock from her return, "Welcome back! I haven't seen you in months."

"Same here, I guess," the naïveté smiles just before clearing her throat and putting her two large suitcases on the floor beside the nearest kitchen counter, "Say, Stan, you wouldn't mind if you leave the two of us ladies alone?"

"I certainly wouldn't mind, at all," Stan gives Dorothy's shoulder a pat before muttering something near her ear.  
  


"This is now your chance, Dorothy. Redeem yourself."  
  


And just like that, Stan is out of the picture.  
  


Rose clears her throat and says to Dorothy, "Please come with me, Dorothy... I need to talk to you."  
  


* * *

Rose drove the both of them to who knows where. They both sat in total silence during the drive. Rose's hands tense up on the steering wheel, while Dorothy keeps herself distracted by looking at the cityscapes outside her car window. None of them had spoken a word ever since they left, the air becoming thicker as minutes pass. They're afraid to speak up, the silence being all too fragile. Maybe it was best for the both of them to save their breath for this place that Rose drives them towards.

Of course, Dorothy misses Rose entirely, but is unsure on how to express this. Her mind then wanders to her feelings for the naïveté, and somehow, she had tried to move on from it; but, there's that one part in her brain that tells her to not do it, telling her that Rose may have the same feelings as well.

No, it cannot be: Rose told her that she just loves her, but as _just_ a friend.

Unless..?

_Get your mind off it, Dorothy! Rose will just talk to you about something, anything but that. Just stop overthinking._

When the car has pulled to a stop, Rose is the first one to exit the car after turning off the engine. Dorothy got confused at why she's swift in moving, so she tried to catch up.

"Rose, w-wait for me!"

_click! clack! click! clack!_

_tap! tap! tap! tap!_

Their footsteps begin to echo. Dorothy doesn't care to think where they both are right now. She needs to catch up with Rose, who's now going through a pair of large, tall doors to what seems like darkness. Dorothy then runs for it. The teacher thinks of Rose as the foolish one because of her St. Olaf stories and whatnot, but this is _actual_ foolishness for her. What is she doing? What made her be this way? Wh—

_Where... am I?_

Dorothy can't make out the ambiance of the room for a few moments. When her eyes readjusted to the dim ambiance of everything, she realized that it's—

"... The ballroom from the masquerade."

Dorothy slowly walks forward, looking around the dimly lit room, the crystalline chandeliers above now casting a warm yellow-orange glow. She then spots Rose at the center of it all, her head bowed onto something in her hands. When Dorothy finally is near her, she finally speaks up.

"Rose... W-Why did you drive us here? To this ballroom..?"

"... I wanted to talk to you... In private."

"We could've talked in _my_ room instead! Not drive us to what seemed the middle of nowhere!"

"That's the point..."

"W-What..?"

"I don't want anyone else to know yet but you," Rose says, taking a deep breath before slowly pacing around for a bit at the center of the room, "Do you remember this place?"

"Vividly," Dorothy answers, "It's the place for the New Year's Masquerade Ball..."

"... Do you remember how you spent the night at that ball?"

"I-I was with you... As Romeo."

"Yes," Rose says, slowly walking towards Dorothy now, "From there, I wanted to spend more time with Romeo—well, this was when I didn't find out yet that he _was_ you all along. I thought that these unusual feelings of mine came from him, like he was the source of everything that I felt: being flustered, butterflies in my stomach, my heart beating quicker and quicker."

Dorothy gulps hard when Rose is already in front of her, a foot away from one another. When the teacher is way too silent to answer, Rose took it as a sign to continue.

"Then, when you told me the truth—that you made that façade up because you wanted to tell me that you love me, I couldn't wrap my head around the fact that a woman can love another woman... So, I told you instead that I love you as _just_ a friend..."

Dorothy tears up, the hurt still dense from _that_ night. Shaking her head, she says, "And that's when you left. You deserted us for a few months..."

"But for a reason: to think about _all_ of this," Rose gesticulates, "... All about us."

Dorothy's eyes widen, "... Us?"

Rose nods, "I left Miami to spend some time with Jean. She knows these kinds of feelings more that I do, so I sought help from her..."

The piece of the puzzle. Dorothy's hunches were wrong all along. Rose didn't go back to her hometown...

But back to the person who sparked Rose's curiosity with these kinds of feelings. 

"I learned, and I reflected..." Rose says, "and now, I think I'm ready."

Dorothy's heart quickens. Rose then fishes something out of her pocket... Something so recognizable to the teacher.

"... M-My necklace."

Dorothy holds out her hands, asking Rose to lend it to her. Taking it as such, the naïveté gently places the necklace onto her hands. Dorothy then examines and grazes her fingertips along the golden chains. She then sheds another tear, a sob comes out of her lips. 

"How... how did you acquire this?"

"Sophia gave it to me, saying," Rose recalls, "'If you're ready, let _her_ clasp this onto you.' I-I don't know what it meant at first, but now, I guess this is what she meant..."

"T-This? Us?"

Rose nods, "I love you, too, Dorothy... As _you._ As who you are."

Dorothy unclasps the hooks and lifts the necklace a bit, "M-May I?"

Rose turns her back and lets Dorothy clasp it onto her. Once it's clasped onto the naïveté, the teacher steps back a bit for her to face forward. Rose then examines the golden necklace around her neck, her fingers lying around the rose charm. When the naïveté finally sheds a tear, she looked at Dorothy and said...

"I-I'm sorry if I acted rather harshly a few months ago, but... can we take this relationship slowly? I know I may have sought help from Jean, but I want to further understand these feelings with _you_ this time."

Dorothy then intertwines her petite hands with hers and kisses it, "No matter how long it takes, I promise to be with you every step of the way."

Rose smiles just before she tilts her head to press her lips onto Dorothy's. The teacher immediately kissed back and sighed onto the passionate kiss. Rose then smiles and lets herself sink into Dorothy's touch. Rose wants her and nobody else but her. She finally knows that Dorothy is the _true_ source of all these feelings in the first place. Jean helped her in realizing this, so she wants to thank her at her next visit.

When they finally withdraw from the kiss, they both hugged each other as tight as they could. She loves her, as who she is. And just like that... the hurt from a few months ago just drifts away like the wind. What matters most is, if Rose wants her by her side and further explore this relationship that will soon bloom into something special, then Dorothy _will_ be by her side no matter what. She doesn't care any longer what anybody thinks of the both of them. Dorothy wants her, and now, so is Rose. Dorothy speaks up, still sobbing from what Rose told her. 

"Rose, don't ever make that stupid move to leave me alone for a few months... that nearly crushed me."

Rose giggles, "Don't worry, Dorothy... I'm all yours now."  
  
  
  


"All yours..."

* * *

As they both go back to the car, Dorothy and Rose held hands. Both looking at each other from time to time and looking away, smiling giddily and being too flustered around each other. When Rose catches Dorothy looking at her, she giggles.

"What?"

"Nothing," Dorothy shrugs, "I just like to see how beautiful you are by my side."

Rose snickers, "I bet more beautiful than you do."

"Oh please, not a chance!"

"Haha! We'll see about that when we get home."


	11. **Relax

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rose's dream shot her up, awake from the adrenaline of it all...
> 
> Then she goes to Dorothy's room...
> 
> Just to satisfy the curiosity that sparked within her from that dream.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SMUT WARNING! This is just a filler chapter and I just wanted to write something different other than fluff. So, if you don't want to read this, just close the story and just skip to the next chapter. Otherwise, just go ahead and enjoy this chapter. ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
> 
> Sendin' uwus,  
> itsjustkdp

_yelp!_

Rose sat upright on her bed.

Another dream... but this time, it's made her body heat up.

It's been a week ever since Rose and Dorothy finally began to establish their relationship. By the time the two ladies arrived home, they didn't expect Blanche and Sophia to still be up. Of course, the Southern belle and the Sicilian lady didn't expect Rose to come home since the latter entered through the back door just moments earlier. Though, they wanted details of what happened with the naïveté during her time out from the Miami abode. They were shocked to know that Rose went to Jean just to further understand these kinds of feelings more. She also added that she finally wanted disclosure from what happened between her and Dorothy, resulting to the both of them announcing that they're officially together. An unlikely, yet unique pair. Blanche and Sophia jumped for joy and hugged them, congratulating them and telling them their hunches were right in the first place. Dorothy then reminded the two other ladies to get off their backs and not let anybody know yet, since Rose is still new to this kind of vibe.

The naïveté is starting to get the hang of it more. Dorothy taught her that loving a woman like her is exactly the same as loving another man—for a lack of a better example, the same as loving a man like Charlie. Rose got confused at first, but she learned alomg the way thanks to the teacher. Somewhere within the same week, they both initiated their very first date at the movies. While watching, Rose jumped from her seat as she felt Dorothy’s big and tender hand intertwine her petite and soft one, making her conscious a bit of what other people would think of them. Dorothy then said to her, “Don’t worry, Rose. People go here to watch, not mind other people’s business. Just let me calm you down a bit...”

“W-Why is that?”

“You seemed a bit tense earlier.”

From that moment, Rose got flustered and just thanked her for it.

Tonight, Rose woke up from her dream. A dream that made her sweat a bit. She then rewinds back to the beginning of it until the end. Afterwards, the naïveté got all flustered and started to fidget her fingers. What is she going to do now? It’s the middle of the night.

Then, it dawned on Rose. Why not satisfy the curiosity from that dream which bloomed within her?

She then steps outside of her room and softly tiptoes to Dorothy’s room. She has a hunch that Dorothy is sound asleep now, but she’ll never know. Her hunches were never wrong, after all.

Rose raises her fist in front of her door and...

_tok! tok! tok!_

“Dorothy... are you awake?”

_creak!_

“R-Rose. You’re still up?”

Her hunch is wrong this time. Dorothy pops up from the other side of the door, looking fully awake still at this time of night.

“No, I-I just woke up from a dream,” Rose lets herself in after Dorothy steps aside to let her, “How come you’re still up?”

“I was writing the things I need to do the next day.”

“Oh,” Rose sat on the edge of the teacher’s bed, still fidgeting her hands like before. Dorothy noticed this and knelt in front of the naïveté, holding her hands that felt like ice.

“You’re shaking...”

“I-I guess I am.”

“Are you alright? You can tell me, sweetheart.”

“... I dreamt of something tonight.”

“Something related to one of your escapades in St. Olaf?”

“Silly, not that,” Rose giggles a tiny bit before bowing her head, “It’s about something else—Oh, forget it. I’ll be embarrassed in saying it.”

“Rose, you’re being silly,” Dorothy shakes her head, smiling at her, “Nothing will be embarrassing to me! Come on, spill the beans. What’s your dream about?”

Rose takes a deep breath and shuts her eyes.

“I dreamt of us making out.”

silence.

Dorothy stood there, speechless. She then blushes so hard, letting go of one of Rose’s hands to scratch an absent itch on her nape.

“Us... making out?”

Rose nods, “I knew this is too embarrassing to tell! ... Is it?”

“I—No, not at all! I just...” Dorothy tries to come up with the right words, but is left to say, “Are you curious about it? Is that why you came to me?”

Rose nods.

“Do you... actually want to try it?”

Rose nods again.

Dorothy then yanks Rose from the bed and they both stand up. The naïveté looks up at her, her crystalline blue eyes filled with so much curiosity and anticipation. Dorothy read this through her deep brown ones. Then, with no precaution whatsoever, she then cups the naïveté’s cheeks and leans a bit forward. Inches turning to centimeters apart from each other. From each other’s lips. Rose’s breath quickens, then hitches as Dorothy halts to a stop, a mere single centimeter just before her tender lips brushes onto her soft ones. Her breath is warm andsmells of mint and tea. Two scents that complement one another.

Dorothy looks at Rose, her eyes then to her lips. She then smirks and says...

“Why don’t I show you, then?”

Dorothy then lands her lips onto Rose’s, the naïveté left all shocked by the immediate touch. Though, the kiss was first gentle, then proceeded to become more and more passionate. Rose’s hands now wrap around Dorothy’s neck, fearing that she’ll possibly collapse from the weight of her body. Dorothy wraps her hands around the naïveté’s waist, her tongue now trying to barge in to deepen the kiss. Once the teacher bit her lower lip, Rose gasped, leaving her mouth open for Dorothy’s tongue to push through. The naïveté responded back and the kiss now deepens.

As they both kissed and caressed each other like never before, Dorothy then lays Rose down to her bed, her being on the top of the naïveté. The teacher then kisses the naïveté’s chin, then to her jawline, just until she reaches the sweet spot on Rose’s neck. Rose then sighs as Dorothy nibbles that spot for a moment.

Dorothy then told Rose to remove her night robe. When the naïveté did such, she isn’t satisfied still as she’s still wearing her pajamas underneath it. Dorothy then removes her own night robe and then proceeded to unbutton Rose’s pajamas. Upon unbuttoning the third one from her top, Rose flinches back.

“W-What are you doing?”

“Trying to see more of you,” Dorothy says in her baritone voice, her tone sounding all too sexy, “You wanted to experience this, right?”

Rose nods shakingly, the fact being all too true, “G-Go on.”

“Don’t be afraid to be bare... It’s just me who’ll be seeing all this.”

As Dorothy unbuttons the last one and removes the top part of Rose’s pajamas, the latter’s cheeks now turn into a solid rose red color as she’s left with her brassiere on her upper body, the lower body still left to be unfold. The teacher then proceeded to kiss Rose’s cleavage, the latter sighing into her kisses. Dorothy then places her hand onto one of Rose’s breasts and starts to fondle it, kneading it like it’s dough.

“Rose, you’re adorably cute when you’re all too flustered,” Dorothy says as she still caresses Rose’s breast, “And did I ever mention how soft your breast is? Like bread?”

“N-No,” Rose shakes her head, beads of sweat now emerging from her forehead, “Y-You mentioned it j-just now.”

“This _bread_ looks delicious,” Dorothy says as she now unclasps Rose’s bra and throws it somewhere to the floor, “Maybe I’ll have a little taste test to see if it _really_ is.”

“D-Dorothy, what’re you—Ahh!”

Dorothy then swirls her tongue around the other breast’s nipple, her tongue’s movement being all too teasing. She then sucks it, making Rose yelp and gasp. As the teacher simultaneously kneads and sucks on her breasts, Rose can’t help but moan a little louder, pleading Dorothy for more of this. Then, it all stops.

“Delicious.”

“W-Why’d you stop?”

“You’re enjoying too much of this,” Dorothy says as she now strips herself from her pajamas, leaving her with just her laced underwear, “I’ll show you the best part of all of this.”

“W-What is?”

“Oh, just wait and see...”

Rose has to admit: Dorothy looks all too sexy. Her body may look broad, but her hourglass figure looks all too natural. The black underwear accentuated her curves and somehow plump breasts. Good Lord, if Dorothy turns around, maybe her ass is too good to look at. What now shocks her is that the teacher continued to strip off of her own clothes just until she is totally naked in front of the naïveté.

“You like what you’re seeing?”

“Uhh... Y-Yes, you look beautiful.”

“And so are you, baby.”

Dorothy then proceeded to kiss her torso, Rose giggling with all the tickle spots that Dorothy manages to kiss. When the teacher reached the rim of the bottom part of her pajamas, she then slowly pulls it out, which left Rose with only her silky, pastel pink-colored panties. Rose bites her lip and then covers her mouth. Before she removes the last piece of clothing on the naïveté, Dorothy then asks her...

“Are you ready, hot shot?”

“J-Just do it already, Dorothy...”

“If you say so, baby.”

Dorothy then bites the rim of the clothing and then pulls it off from Rose, the naïveté’s cheeks still fully red from being all too embarrassed and flustered. As the teacher finally pulls the last piece of clothing, this now leaves Rose naked. Her body all curved and made like a goddess. Dorothy then bites her lip as she takes in all of the naïveté’s glory, her eyes now full of lust and desire.

She then lowers herself down and kisses Rose’s thighs, nearing herself to her now wet and shiny pussy. When Dorothy reaches and then slowly licks her clit, Rose jumps a bit and yelps, her head now tilted back. Dorothy giggles, her warm breath breezing through her gentle flower.

“Rose, don’t look away! I want you to see all this for yourself.”

“I-I’m scared to look at how you... do it.”

“Don’t worry, sweetheart. I’ll be gentle, unless you want it rowdy.”

Rose then quickly looks at Dorothy, shock now plastered on her face, “D-Dorothy!”

“Kidding. Now, just look at me, and I promise to be gentle... Will you trust me?”

“O-Okay.”

With that as her cue, Dorothy then licks her clit once more. Then kisses it. Until she fully wraps her mouth around it, Rose moaning softly at her touch. The naïveté tries to shift her body, but every shift she does makes the feeling all too pleasing, the pleasure of it all trying to sink in. The teacher then moans as she now savors how Rose tasted.

Heaven.

As Dorothy pushes her right index finger inside Rose’s vagina, the latter then gasped just before her breath hitches.

“Rose, do you want me to stop?”

“No—please keep going.”

“That’s my girl. I’ll be gentle alright?”

Rose nods.

“Alright, for us to stop, what’ll be your ‘safe word’?”

“‘S-Safe word’?”

“Yes. Once you say it, I’ll make sure to stop.”

“Okay... I guess ‘ _flurkenfleister_ ’ would do.”

Dorothy rolls her eyes a bit but lets it slide. What better word to use than one of her Scandinavian terms?

“I’ll continue now.”

Dorothy then continues to suck on Rose’s clit, her long finger now moving inside and outside her opening, making Rose moan softly. The teacher then adds another finger in, the naïveté’s moans becoming louder and louder.

“M-More, Dorothy...”

Dorothy obliges with a smile and proceeds to insert a third finger into her, the naïveté now sweating and moaning. Rose never felt this good in her entire life. Her touch, her lips, and her body sent her all too flustered and shocked for tonight. This new sense of pleasure is even better, so she thought. She doesn’t want Dorothy to stop. She wants more of her. The way she teased her sends her into a havoc full of pleasure.

When Dorothy moved from sucking her clit to her opening, Rose is srarting to lose it. Her hands yank Dorothy’s head to pull her towards her vagina, leaving the teacher a bit shocked. Dorothy then lets her tongue swirl inside her vaginal walls, her thumb now harshly moving around her now swollen clit. Rose moans loud, but tries to control her volume as she doesn’t want to disturb the other roommates in the house. This went on for a few moments until—

“Dorothy!”

Rose has finally lost it.

Her petite body arches back, lifting herself from the bed. She then feels something coming out of her, like juice splurting out. When she was finally finished with her climax, Dorothy licked the rest of the naïveté’s rather sweet juices. The teacher then lifts herself up and shows her wet fingers to Rose, the ones that went inside her.

“Would you look at that? My fingers are all wet.”

“I-I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be, baby,” Dorothy then proceeds to lick her fingers. After such, she declares, “You taste sweet.”

“Like candy?”

Dorothy sighs, but giggles anyways, “Yes, like candy, Rose.”

Dorothy then kisses up from her thighs to her breasts, giving them last few mild sucks before reaching up to kiss Rose’s lips again. The naïveté tasted herself from Dorothy’s lips. She then cups her right cheek for a few moments just before they both decided to cuddle with each other, with Rose’s head lying on top of Dorothy’s bare chest. They stayed like that for a few minutes until...

“Dorothy?”

“Hmm?”

“... Thank you. T-That honestly felt good than I thought it would be.”

Dorothy chuckles, “What did you expect it to be?”

“Like how the cows mated back in our farm in St. Olaf.”

“Obviously, that’s not how female sex works.”

“Now that I know...”

A few more minutes pass by when Rose breaks the silence again.

“Can we do this again?”

“Making out?”

“I-If you want to.”

“As long as we both satisfy our desires, then let’s do it.”

Rose looks up to gaze at Dorothy, who returns the same look to her, “I love you, Dorothy.”

“I love you too, Rose.”

They shared a sweet and gentle kiss and cuddled. They stayed like that for the rest of the night...

And Rose will never forget how good Dorothy made her feel.


	12. (Epilogue) Rather

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All is steady and great. Though...
> 
> There's one more thing Dorothy has to do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The song to be used is from Steven Universe, so here's the link to it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2cUE9Jom0o4
> 
> I know it's from the said show, but, for the sake of the story, let's pretend and imagine that Dorothy wrote this song. uwu

_*7 months later*_  
  


"Good morning, honey!"

"Good morning, sweetheart! How'd you sleep?"

"Nothing but some good ol' cuddling from you last night made it well."

Rose hugs Dorothy from behind as the latter is making breakfast. Pancakes. It's been solid for the both of them and everything went smoothly as their relationship progressed with each day passing by. In the first few months since they both started, Dorothy helped Rose in being familiar more with this kind of thing. Of course, they both managed to even things out by managing the number of St. Olaf stories and Stan escapades they tell to either each other or to both Blanche and Sophia. For the rest of the months, when Rose finally understood how their relationship is like, they both decided to tell their relatives and loved ones. Some of them were shocked at first but then congratulated them, and some weren't surprised by the news because "little birdies" told them--mostly coming from Blanche and Sophia. 

Things went smoothly... just until things got very busy for Dorothy.

Since she had no calls lately for her substitution teaching job and that schools are taking their summer breaks at this time, the teacher decided to take Blanche's offer to work with her at the museum since the Southern belle has been working her ass off for the Autumn banquet which will showcase their next exhibition. From there, Dorothy did her best to accompany Blanche and work together to pull off the greatest banquet ever, leaving Rose a bit lonely without Dorothy by her side. The naïveté tried her best to make Dorothy take some days off from working too hard by baking some of her St. Olaf sweet delicacies, suggesting which movies to watch, and even as far as to pleading to finish a jigsaw puzzle with her—one of Dorothy's favorite leisure times with Rose. As much as Dorothy wanted to, she decided to not give into these temptations and declined these offers for now. Rose's patience is getting a little pushy and became so desperate. It was lucky for the naïveté last night because Dorothy decided to take a day off just to redeem herself a little bit and make up for lost time. They cuddled and said sweet nothings to each other after Dorothy had told Rose everything that had happened during the preparations for the banquet. Of course, she added that this banquet is really special for Blanche since the upcoming exhibition had been curated by her herself. Rose understood and reminded her not to work too hard until she passes out.

All moments lead to this morning. A morning of hugs and kisses from Rose. Dorothy, of course, gets flustered and decides to give the same hugs and kisses back for a few moments. Just before the pancakes burn to a crisp.

While they both ate, Rose pops up a question...

"Dorothy?"

"Hmm?"

"Since you've been so busy lately, I've been thinking..."

"What is it, Rose?"

"... Have you prepared something special for Blanche? You know, to commemorate her for her efforts in this banquet?"

"I _did_ prepare something special for her, but I'm still working on it."

"Ooh! May I see the work, then?"

"I'd rather not. It'll ruin the surprise for her. Remember, she likes surprises," Dorothy winks knowingly at Rose, the naïveté immediately getting the message.

"After this banquet, can we make up for lost time? It's been lonely here since you got busy," Rose pouts at her.

"Don't worry about a thing, sweetheart," Dorothy smiles, her fingers caressing Rose's chin, "I'll make sure we'll do that."

"Good mornin', y'all!"

As Blanche enters the room all freshened up, she decides to chime in and eat breakfast with the couple. As Dorothy wants to spoil the surprise, maybe not just yet. That reminds her, she needs to call the pianist that she met back at the coffee shop and tell him to play for the banquet. Both Dorothy and Rose had established a friendship with this pianist named Frank because the couple often do duets and performances for the customers at that little shop where the teacher let her singing talent shine through. It took a month for Dorothy to convince Rose to join in with the fun and sing some songs. The naïveté tried to suggest some St. Olaf songs, but Dorothy reminded her that maybe those kinds of songs aren't fitting for such a warm ambiance of the shop since they're full of Scandinavian words and other viking shenanigans just from the lyrics alone. Now, Dorothy wants Frank to be there for this special banquet and play the night away with sweet and heartwarming tunes.

_Just one more week..._

* * *

_*One week later*_

"Girls, over here!"

Dorothy and Rose approach Blanche upon spotting her with a gentleman who's negotiating a price to the Southern belle for a painting of "an upside down nose." While waiting, the couple just gaze for the meantime at the painting, with Rose furrowing her brows at it and Dorothy just nodding and appreciating it. After Blanche said her final negotiations to the man and dismisses him, she approaches the girls and asked where Sophia went. Of course, Dorothy told her that the Sicilian lady saw a bar just around the corner and decided to take a swig. 

When Blanche told them that the banquet was about to begin, the three all settled into a table near the stage with Sophia following suit after a while. The opening remarks had been said and they all commemorated Blanche and applauded for her just before she stood before the pulpit, ready to speak.

"I'd like to thank you all for coming to this banquet. This means so much to me, and I couldn't have done it without my beloved best friend, Dorothy."

With that, Rose gives a playful nudge to Dorothy, who in return just giggles at the naïveté.

"Ever since I offered her this job to work with me for this banquet, I had never regretted that decision to do so. From that moment she said yes, she has never failed to strive hard and accomplish whatever's needed for tonight's occasion. You name it: the food, the piano accompaniment, the server men here tonight... "

Of course, Blanche has the audacity to call out to men. What a belle.

"Without further ado, I would like to offer the floor to her now ..."

Dorothy then tenses up.

Rose gave her a rub on the shoulder and told her that everything's going to be fine. Dorothy walks towards the pulpit and takes out the microphone from off its stand, clearing her throat and beginning to speak.

"Good evening, everyone. I'd like to thank Blanche and all of you tonight for being here."

Dorothy then briefly expresses her gratitude to Blanche for giving her the job to help her with the banquet and her amazement to how she perfectly curated this year's exhibition about artworks that express, well, the vibe of the autumn season. After a few minutes of speaking, she then takes her attention to Rose, the naïveté looking at her in both awe and wonder-struck. The woman whom she loves the most in the world. The woman who made her realize how love can work in unusual and mysterious ways. The teacher then leaves from the pulpit and steps down to walk near the pianist.

"I'd like to sing for all of you tonight, if you don't really mind my deep, baritone voice."

The crowd laughs at Dorothy's remark to herself just before she continues.

"This song... is a song that I wrote for someone. Someone really special to me. Someone whom I truly loved with all my heart," she then proceeds to give a wink to Frank the pianist, who eventually knew that it's his cue to give her an accompaniment.

Dorothy then looks at the audience one more time just before she shifts her gaze to the naïveté.

"This song is written for the woman I love."

What she said... made the crowd murmur. A woman, loving another woman? That's morally impossible. The guests around the room look at the tall figure in front of them, some of them in tad shock, in bemusement, and in expectation. This is a brand new kind of love for most of them—Blanche and Sophia knew beforehand since they had witnessed everything from day one. It feels taboo, but it's actually not. The audience is now curious to know more about these unusual kinds of feelings, but they're afraid.

But for Dorothy? She doesn't care what anyone thinks.

Without further ado, she then begins.

_I'd rather be tall,_  
_I'd rather be smart,_  
_I'd rather be sure you know I care._

  
_Wherever you go,_  
_Whatever you start,_  
_I'd rather be sure you know I'm there._

Dorothy then approaches Rose, holding out her long and broad hand for her petite one to latch onto. The naïveté just looks up at her, doubting whether she'll take it or not because everyone else is looking at the both of them. The teacher smiles warmly at her, telling her it's okay. When she got the message, Rose then slowly places her hand on top of hers. Dorothy then smiles up to her ears before gently lifting Rose up from her seat.

  
_I'd rather I always be apart of whatever you do._  
_I'd rather be me, with you._

Dorothy then leads them towards the center of the room, making Rose jump after she twirled her around. The naïveté giggles a bit by her touch, her smile retains as she listens to her girlfriend sing. A lovely tune, like a baby's lullaby. In times when Dorothy either sings her heart out or hums nonsensical yet soothing melodies, butterflies of many colors flutter around Rose's stomach. Whenever she's scared because of nights filled with loud and crackling thunderstorms, Dorothy's there to sing her to sleep. Whenever she's anxious to perform in that petite coffee shop where they spend most of their afternoons filled with sunsets and city lights later on, Dorothy's there to assure her by beginning to set the tone with her deep voice. For Rose...

It's like she's more of herself with Dorothy around.

  
_Wherever we go,_  
_I already trust,_  
_I'd know what to do if it were us._

  
_I'd know what to say,_  
_I'd know how to be,_  
_I'd know your entire syllabus._

  
_I can't think of any other thing in the world I would rather do..._

Dorothy warmly looks at Rose's hand which is intertwined with hers for the last time, just before she lets go of it and proceeding to hold the microphone with two hands.

  
_If I could be,_

  
_I'd rather be me, with you..._

Rose sobs, tears of love coming down from her cheeks. She then applauds giddily at Dorothy, giggling as she finally understands the meaning of the message. The room feels smaller, it's like they're just the two of them standing alone in the middle of it all. Somewhere around the room, they both heard two more pairs of hands clapping at them: Blanche and Sophia, applauding along with Rose. Sooner or later, the rest of the audience follow suit and they give a big hand to Dorothy's rather sweet and loving performance. Dorothy then proceeds to bow to them, showing her sense of class and stage presence. The crowd somehow died down when Rose finally speaks.

"Dorothy, that song was... wonderful."

"Did you like it?"

"No, Dorothy," Rose shakes her head.

"Oh?" Dorothy's heart somewhat sank, but got back up again when Rose added...

"I loved it."

Dorothy smiles at her before she looks at Blanche, who mouthed, "Do it!"

With all her mustered courage, the teacher then takes a deep breath just before she holds the microphone up to herself once more to speak up.

"Rose... I wrote that song for you for a reason."

The naïveté looks at her, confused, "... A reason?"

The teacher nods, "It's been a good set of months since our relationship started. At first, I... I doubted and questioned myself whether I was worthy enough for you. I asked myself, 'Will she ever reciprocate this kind of feeling to me?' I know that feeling these things for you is not easy, but I gave it my all to make you understand these feelings more when you told me, 'I'm ready.' Ready to love me as who I am..."

Rose sheds more tears, her voice calling her name like a whisper, "Dorothy..."

"In the end, you actually understood. You made yourself—and surprisingly, me—realize that love knows no boundaries. We love each other as who we are. We didn't care whether we're both women or anything. We made it through the obstacle course together then, and now..."

Dorothy then kneels down to one knee, making Rose—then the audience—gasp.

"I want us to take the next step."

The teacher then fishes a red velvet case out of her pocket and opens it to reveal...

A golden ring with rose-shaped ruby stone plastered onto it.

"Rose... will you make me the happiest woman in the world and marry me?"

"Dorothy!"

Rose covers her mouth in shock, more tears soon begin to fall down to her cheeks. The naïveté then looks around for Blanche and Sophia. The Southern belle and the Sicilian lady gave her thumbs-up signs, the signs of confirmation and encouragement to say yes. Rose actually wondered what it's like to get happily married to Dorothy since the naïveté often pops this up in conversations. She often dreams how the teacher will pop the question: back in her farm in St. Olaf where they both initiated a fabulous date there, maybe in a yacht reserved for the two of them, or maybe in a fancy restaurant.

Though, none of those dreams depicted this moment. She was surprised because the _actual_ surprise is not for Blanche.

It's for her. 

Rose slowly lowers her hands from her mouth, slowly nodding.

"Yes! I'll marry you, Dorothy!"

* * *

_Twinkle twinkle... little stars._

Rose has her head held high as she leans on the marble railing of the balcony just outside the museum. Earlier, the audience roared for both her and Dorothy after she said her answer. Some of them actually cheered for the both of them. Some even congratulated them as the banquet continues on. When they conversed with other people on how this kind of love is like, they didn't hesitate to tell them the truth: Love has no boundaries whatsoever. The night became more and more lively as minutes pass by.

"Stargazing now, are we?"

_yank!_

"Ahh!"

Dorothy tightly hugs Rose from behind and lifts her up, her royal blue dress flowing through the breeze as the teacher twirls her around. The naïveté giggles loudly as Dorothy nuzzles in a few kisses by her cheek. Dorothy then puts Rose down, both of them trying to catch their breath.

"I've never felt so lively since Freddie Mercury sang for Queen!"

They both tried to calm down just before they both looked at each other. Then, they both walked near the railing once more, with Dorothy now joining in to gaze at the stars. The teacher then smiles as she speaks up.

"Do you remember when we last looked at the night sky?"

"Vividly," Rose recalls the moment they both looked up at the bright, shining stars at the lanai, "it was also when I started to get confused at being in love with women."

"That was after Jean's visit in Miami... Oh, that was a while ago," Dorothy then shifts to face Rose, who then faces back at her, their hands intertwined with each other, "Now... Look how far we've come. We fought. We understood and supported each other every step of the way."

"You asked me to marry you... and I said yes."

Dorothy then leans forward to kiss Rose longingly and passionately, the kiss feeling ever so tender. Rose smiles in the kiss, knowing that loving Dorothy was not—and never—a wrong choice. She knew that these feelings first sparked because of her. The things the teacher does to make the naïveté fall in love with her even more. The moments of dance and song. Trials and triumphs. Quarrels to sweet nothings.

_tsup!_

When they both withdraw from the kiss, Rose smiles warmly at her girlf—no wait, her _fiancée._

"I love you, Dorothy."

"I love you too, Rose."

They hugged each other for a brief moment just before they intertwine their hands and walked back to the banquet.

"Let's be the lives of the party, shall we, darling?"

"I would be honored to, honey."

_THE END._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To all the people who read this story since day one, thank you very much! This full-blown story started and ended with a blast, and I could never have finished it without you guys giving me encouragement in times of stress and doubt.
> 
> If y'all want me to make another full-blown story like this one, do not hesitate to send me a message and some suggestions. :)
> 
> More to come! uwu
> 
> Sendin' uwus,  
> itsjustkdp


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